CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY. — Worthy grassroots cage tilt with an international spice.
That’s what fans have started witnessing when the Sinag Liga Asya Junior World Showcase Mindanao Cup got going Saturday here.
Now on its second year, the Junior World Showcase lured 36 teams across the 13, 15, 17, 19, and 21-Under divisions from teams coming from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and overseas in the meet that has Rocky Chan as chairman, Ray Alao as president, chief operating officer Leo Isaac, Commissioner Rodney Santos, and deputy commissioners John Ferriols and EJ Feihl.
“Wow! Overwhelming ang crowd with the full support of the local government, the Department of Tourism, and Sen. Bong Go. Actually, iyong mga taga-Cagayan nga nagsasabi sa akin na, you know, for quite a while, ngayon lang nila nakita ulit na punong-punong ang isang gym,” Chan said of the July 5-11 tourney being held at the Xavier University Gym and University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines Gym. “It’s the first international basketball tournament here in Mindanao and dito pa sa Cagayan de Oro.
“Para sa akin, because I’m from Mindanao, I’m from Cagayan de Oro, it takes pride to host it as the chairman of the league and to have it here in my hometown. At the same time we really want to develop iyong programa, na equal ang opportunity,” he added.
Boosted by presenters Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy and Brgy. Carmen captain Kikang “Kaplik” Uy, with the full backing of the Department of Tourism Region 10 headed by its chief Ma. Elaine Unchuan, the Mindanao Cup also has Sen. Bong Go as presenter and co-presented by PAGCOR, and J Project, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Tapsi Boi, Star Balm, Hotel SOGO, and in cooperation with Powerhouse Studios, M.A.G Materials and Soil Testing Corporation, The VIP Hotel, Bluesky, Sunsport, broadcast partners PTV Sports and Cablelink, and powered by Converge.
Chan beamed with pride as the league offers a chance for everyone—especially the young ones—to pursue their hoops dreams.
“They are of the same level, kahit sino puwedeng sumali, kahit sino puwedeng mag-compete. So, we give equal opportunity to bring everyone in a short tournament like this,” he said. “Of course, we’re trying to get more sponsors to come in and to help us. It’s just so fulfilling that the DoT Region 10 has been coordinating with other regions now na suportahan ang SLA and hopefully we can gain more help, more sponsors, especially from different LGUs na suportahan ang SLA.”
