ISAA opens 15th season

With a theme of “Moving On, Stronger Together, 2.0,” the 15th season of the Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association (ISAA) commenced on Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Hosted by Air Link International Aviation College as part of its 40th foundation anniversary, the day consisted of six basketball matches, including five games involving the ten participating schools in the seniors division.

Two of the matches involved the hosts and ended up with mixed results. The Blazing Phoenix fell short against defending juniors champions La Consolacion College – Manila, 83-75. Their seniors’ counterparts would then pull off a come-from-behind 74-71 win over the University of Asia and the Pacific.

The other results saw defending seniors champions La Consolacion College-Manila fend off Immaculada Concepcion College, 76-71. Opening the action in the morning was Treston defeating ICCT, 72-70.

Closing things out were PATTS’ 68-48 win over St. Dominic College of Asia, and WCC’s 76-60 triumph of PWU.

Aside from the games, the league also held their Opening Ceremonies in the afternoon in between ALIAC’s games. It included performances by the ALIAC Aliyah Chorale, ALIAC Aliyah Dance Company, the Phoenix Pep Squad, as well as select performers from their fellow ISAA member-schools in a “The Greatest Showman-” inspired number.

For ALIAC chairman and CEO Atty. Dr. Gomeriano V. Amurao, “It’s a fantastic journey for our school. It took us 40 years to get here, and we would like to convey our appreciation to the ISAA management, its officers and board for giving our modest school the opportunity to showcase its abundant talent and skills.”

Andre Ober from the defending champions La Consolacion College – Manila administered the oath of sportsmanship for his fellow student-athletes.

This season proves to be a historic one for ISAA with their partnership with Sinag Liga Asya, securing broadcast of the entirety of the league’s basketball tournament, both for its juniors and seniors division. Representing the SLA officials in the event are Chairman Rocky Chan and COO Leo Isaac.

Chan believes that this is the start of a bigger things to come between both sides.

16 teams highlight Sinag Liga Asya 40-over field

Sinag Liga Asya officials with coaches of the Lakas ng Kwarenta tournament teams.

Armed with the success of their 2001 Cup, Sinag Liga Asya is set to commence with their Lakas Kwarenta competition this weekend.

SLA Chief Operating Officer Leo Isaac shares, "Matagal na naming naisip ito because alam namin na buhay pa rin ang pusong manlalaro ng mga dating manlalaro ng basketball despite na nagka-edad na sila."

He adds, "Nandoon pa rin iyong kagustuhan na makipag-compete at subukan pa rin ang kanilang galing at marami kaming mga kilala na dating players na hanggang ngayon ay patuloy pa rin na nagpapapawis, nag-eensayo."

Isaac notes, "Sinubukan lang namin muna ito na mag-imbita at nagulat kami sa response ng maraming mga kakilala na willing silang sumali. So, nabuo itong Sinag Lakas Kwarenta through the connections sa iba't ibang players."

Sixteen teams have committed to participate, with the field being split into two groups during the Sinag Saya event at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay on Tuesday.

Slotted into Group A are 521 Trading Inc, Malolos Republic, Tatakgel-Binan, San Pedro Mamba, J Project Clothing Shop, NBS, Pampanga and Cagayan Valley, while Cavite Don Pacundo Sea Lions, MC Sports Management, VPD Trading, Sta. Rosa Saints, Tito Rex X Firewire, Bayabas-Rennel Leap, GDL Construction and IGT Warriors comprise Group B.

As shared by Tournament Commissioner and former PBA star Rodney Santos, teams are permitted to enlist a former professional player, provided that individual has been retired competitively for at least five years.

Sinag Liga Asya Lakas Kwarenta is presented by Finn Cotton and supported by JProject Clothing Shop, Converge, SCD, Foton, and Sunsport.

Also gracing the Sinag Saya festivities are league chairman Rocky Chan, president and CEO Ray Alao, as well as league consultant Dennis Villa-Ignacio.

Players and coaches from member-schools of the Inter-scholastic Athletic Association (ISAA) were also present at the event. The league recently entered into a partnership with Sinag Liga Asya for the upcoming 15th season.

Pampanga Delta impress in Sinag Liga Asya opener

Sinag Liga Asya

The newest basketball league in the country kicked off on Saturday afternoon at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center, with the Sinag Liga Asya holding its Born 2001 Cup.

Eleven teams are set to participate in this competition, which is run by the same group who previously handled the Pilipinas Super League.

Chairman Rocky Chan shares, "We're just so excited for the SLA. It's a fresh start but it's the same old group, same old teams that we have. We also have our former commissioner and now chief operations officer coach Leo Isaac, who will run the show on the basketball operations side. We're so excited with the inaugural conference of the Sinag Liga Asya Born 2001 Cup."

He adds, "We have 11 teams here in Luzon, we have eight teams in Mindanao and in Visayas. Masaya kami that we are able to give opportunity sa mga bata na tuparin iyong mga pangarap nila,"

Teams in the Luzon leg will play a single round-robin, with eight teams advancing into the quarterfinals. The top four teams will earn a twice-to-beat advantage, with the semifinals and final being true one-game-knockout matchups.

To celebrate the start of the leg, a tripleheader served as its opener, which saw both Pampanga-based teams secure contrasting victories.

Luid One Kapampangan held on to a 73-70 victory over LDG San Pedro in the first match of the day, which saw CJ Buitison score a game-high 26 points. He also added three rebounds, three assists, a block, and six steals. IC Dauting was the only other player in double figures with eleven points, while also contributing three rebounds, a couple of steals, and a block.

In contrast, Pampanga Delta demolished Antipolo Pilgrims LEAP, 101-50. With Governor Dennis Pineda watching the nightcap, his wards ruthlessly took care of business of their overmatched visitors, putting them away in the second quarter with a 20-8 bomb.

The Pilgrims could not do anything about their opposition, allowing the Delta to score 28 and 29 points in the final two periods, while only mustering a combined total of 26 points in the second half.

Jun Roque led the way with seventeen points, four rebounds, an assist, and a block, while incoming DLSU standout Jonnel Policarpio added sixteen points, four rebounds, four assists, and a steal.

Justine Bautista chipped in fifteen for the Delta with four steals, while Carlo Ferreras was the fourth player in double figures with eleven markers.

The third match saw Laguna DatzLav-EOZ Construction use a fourth quarter burst to escape with a 70-63 victory over HUSTLE Rising Suns.

Trailing 57-50 after a Dave Ollero basket with 6:38 remaining, DatzLav scored six straight points to make is a one-point game at 57-56 with 2:58 to go. Vincent Canlas scored a few seconds later to restore a three-point lead. Glenn Madiz answered with a couple of buckets to make it 61-60 with 79 seconds to go.

Laguna would take the lead for good at 62-61 with 48 seconds left off a Marvin Mirondo jumper. Free throws by Mhickael Pontanoza and Madiz make it a two-possession game at 65-61 at the 25 second mark, with Jean Brent Layug scored what turned out to be HUSTLE's final points of the game with 21 seconds remaining. An and-1 from Mirondo restored the two-possession lead, and although he missed the free throw, he made up for it by forcing a turnover on the ensuing possession.

A split from Pontanoza and a layup from Renz Conde capped off the comeback for the squad.

Pontanoza ended up with a game-high fourteen points, seven rebounds, a couple of assists, a block, and four steals. Madiz added a double-double with twelve points and ten boards, as well as a couple of assists and steals.

The Sinag Liga Asya Born 2001 Cup is presented by Converge, and supported by Foton, JProject, Royce Hotel, Sunsport, Bluesky Advertising, Finn Cotton, WCube Solutions, and SCD.

Sinag Liga Asya set to take flight

SLA chairman Rocky Chan (fifth from right) and SLA head of basketball operations Paul Joven (fourth from right)

A new league is about to rise.

Sinag Liga Asya is set to start this coming July 24, spearheaded by its chairman Rocky Chan, head of basketball operations for Visayas and Mindanao Paul Joven, chief operating officer Leo Isaac, and commissioner Salvador Cortez Jr.

All of them have worked together previously at the Pilipinas Super League, providing experience for the startup league, with the objective of providing opportunities for homegrown basketball players in the Philippines to secure athletic collegiate scholarships with the eventual pathway towards professional basketball.

Chan shares, "We are going to give kids who have potential a platform to be discovered. With Sinag Liga Asya, we will not be focusing just on the Philippines, but we will have opportunities for these kids to be able to play internationally. It’s a new league, and an exciting one."

Joven adds, "Our vision here is for all the homegrown, unheralded talents who are not able to be seen to be able to play in primary destinations in the country." He also notes, "We’re here to develop players. We really want to develop young kids so they can be seen. I hope many teams will join us to benefit from this kind of avenue."

The July 24 start date is for the Visayas-Mindanao leg, which is to be hosted at the Mandaue City Sports Complex. Teams set for participation include the Lapu-Lapu City Heroes, DH25 Cebu City, Minglanilla Archangels, and the City of Mandaue.

This particular leg is co-presented and powered by Converge, supported by Foton, SCD, j project, MDC, Hotel Sogo, Wcube Solutions Inc., Bluesky advertising, Finn Cotton, with media partners Tiebreaker Times. Mytv Cebu, Dugout University, and Blast.

As for the Luzon leg, it is pegged to start on August 5 at the Tiaong Convention Center in Quezon, with twelve teams set to participate, including Pampanga Delta, Hustle Pampanga Floridablanca, Luid One Kampangpangan, Datzlav Javi Construction, LDG San Pedro, and the 2nd District of Quezon Province.

Potential participants include clubs from Quezon City, Antipolo, and Paranaque.

Chan also bared the potential possibility of sub-continental competition, through conversations with ASEAN stakeholders for a pocket competition with the SLA champion against some of the best from the region.