“PANG PBA ang team nyo!”
This was how Family’s Brand Sardines matriarch and Zamboanga team owner Anita Kaw described the Abra Solid North Weavers after her MPBL team suffered a 60-80 loss to the visiting team on Saturday night at the Mayor Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City.
Kaw, accompanied by her son TP, immediately went to the Weavers dugout right after their match to congratulate the visiting team, which they both dubbed as ‘the championship contender squad.”
Hot-starting Weavers
The Weavers put on a dominating performance from the opening buzzer to create separation from the Sikat Zamboanga side, 4-24, in a first-quarter score that silenced the full house crowd.
“Pang championship caliber po ang team nyo,” said Tippy Kaw, who was overheard by some members of the media as he approached the Weavers coaching staff en route to the locker room.
The Zamboangenos tried to regroup in the second quarter, inching closer to within 12 points, but the Weavers always had an answer behind the heroics of outside gunner Encho Serrano and twin-towers Geo Chiu and Raven Gonzales.
Abra star Dave Ildefonso once more displayed another brilliant performance, tallying 23 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, on a 26-percent efficiency rating.
“Walang ibang players ko ang nag double digits kasi they just let Dave went amok and the team management is so happy to see Dave show his true potential,” said Abra coach Yong Garcia.
“We’re just allowing Dave to get the feel of it as we will need him to be in that element come playoffs time,” added the former Mapua Red Robins mentor.
Garcia believes that if Ildefonso continues to play his game, he might just become the MPBL’s first rookie MVP - a feat that hasn’t been done in Philippine basketball since Benjie Paras won the two titles in 1989 in the PBA.
Meanwhile, former PBA big man Carl Bryan Cruz paced Zamboanga with 14 points and 7 rebounds while teammate Reggz Albert Gabat finished with 13 markers.
After the win, Abra team owner Rep. JB Bernos challenged his team to continue uplifting not just their province but the whole of Northern Luzon as well.
“Let’s continue to play the game the Abra way. It’s important that our players mirror the mandate of Solid North that is good leadership, which is what Dave is showing, and group effort,” said Bernos.
Now with a 19-1 win-loss record, Bernos hopes that they will continue holding on to the top spot of the overall standings as they face Manila Batang Quiapo (August 4), defending champion Pampanga Giant Lanterns (August 9), Ilagan Isabela Cowboys (August 16), Mindoro Tamaraws (August 26) and the recently postponed clash with Davao Occidental Tigers on a date to be decided.
“Let’s get the job done boys. But don’t forget to be humble in every victory,” said Bernos, who deployed a 36-man team to Zamboanga to make sure all the needs of his players are given attention.
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