Gilas alumnus tells young PH players: Play your hearts out

By Peter Atencio

THE young members of the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team should once again play with their hearts out in the coming 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Former Gilas cager Marc Pingris said this with a week left before action starts simultaneously in Manila, Okinawa and Jakarta.

“Sana hindi puro talent ang ipakita, sana may puso din,” said Pingris on Friday afternoon before the start of the Sun Life 3x3 Charity Challenge at the Chili’s restaurant at the Atrium of the SM Megamall.

Now 41 and retired, Pingris believes that with passion and faith, Gilas may have a chance to get past the group stage.

Utah Jazz cager Jordan Clarkson is leading the Gilas campaign, with 7’3” center Kai Sotto expected to join June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, and AJ Edu as the men in the middle during their coming campaign. This combo got tested when Gilas Pilipinas took on FIBA World Cup African qualifier Ivory Coast in a closeddoor tuneup game at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

“Ang mga players natin, matatangkad din. Para sa akin, may pag-asa tayo,” added Pingris, who was with Gilas when they earned the silver medal in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship that sent them to the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Gilas Pilipinas was set to have friendlies against world No. 18 Montenegro and No. 31 Mexico on August 21. During the event, players like Jollo Go showed his talent in the three-point challenge and 3x3 games, which took place at the Megamall activity center. For every participant, who played, Sun Life donated P4,000 to help rebuild basketball courts, and launch fitness programs in different communities. The same amount was donated for every like, share and post on social media, with the hashtags, #MovementMatters and #SunLifePartnersforLife.

SunLife officials said the event was also in support of Canada Basketball’s participation in the FIBA World Cup, which has NBA stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kelly Olynyk in its roster.

Lagrada most bemedalled archer in Asean tourney

CEBU CITY—Bouncing back from a dismal outing the previous day, Ada Lagrada anchored Olympus Archery Club to a pair of victories in the recurve Under-21 women’s team and mixed team events, respectively, to emerge as the most bemedalled athlete at the end of the 1st Asean Youth Archery Championships here Saturday.

Learning her lessons from her heartbreaking loss in the Olympic round finals of the women’s recurve singles to teammate Charlene Santos last Friday, Lagrada was deadly accurate in adding two more mints to her collection in the competition supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

The world youth meet veteran combined with teammates Santos and Alexis Samantha Pioquinto in outclassing the Singaporean trio of Celestine Choo, Janice Lau and Tabitha Yeo 5-1 (50-49, 50-42, 49-49) in capturing the women’s team gold in the tournament also backed by the Cebu city government.

Cassey Gatdula: Balancing academics, athletics with grace

By Jessica Luna

RARE is the student athlete who excels in both academics and athletics.

One such athlete is Carla Ellaine Vargas Gatdula, a 12-year-old graduating student of Rosario V. Maramba Elementary School of Naga City.

She is currently the president of the Supreme Pupil Government (and Vice President of the Student Council Organization of Naga City) and the school valedictorian.

But what makes Carla Ellaine— Cassey to friends and family—special is that aside from being an honor student, she is one of her school’s top athletes—a taekwondo jin specializing in Poomsae.

When asked why taekwondo, she said in a quick interview, “it’s my preparation for joining the uniformed service, gusto ko po mag-PMA (Philippine Military Academy) and serve.”

“And sport din po ito ni daddy,” Cassey says, referring to his father Carlos, a call center operations’ manager, who dabbles in taekwondo.

Let’s take a lesson about Poomsae and learn from her experience, shall we?

According to Cassey, taekwondo has two categories, Kyorugi, which is about sparring, and Poomsae, which focuses on form and the harmonious relationship of bodily movements.

“It’s more like how the body rhythmically moves along with the principles of the art. In Kyorugi, if you have the basics -- speed, power, stamina and technique, the possibility of hitting your opponent is very high and luck is a big plus. Unlike in poomsae, there is no luck, even if you memorize the forms, you would need also to check the degree of elevation of your block, position of your punch, speed and delivery of kicks, turns,” Cassey explained.

She added: “Akala po nila madali, basta mataas lang ang kick mo with a very high angle. It will not count, unless you know the science and art of Poomsae.”

“Sa Poomsae may power din po. If that is not evident in the performance, it’s a point deduction. When you do a

180-degree sidekick with power, pushing all there is in your life to the blade of your foot for power, it can discord or imbalance you that may lead to stammering of your standing leg and that is a point deduction po.”

Cassey said she is thankful to her coaches and trainers, namely Grace Guevara of RVMES (coach and coordinator), Raul Oas of the Naga City Ravens Taekwondo Club and Emmanuel “Noli” Bayonito of the Robinsons Dragons Taekwondo Club.

“Sir Noli gave me last-minute coaching sa TABACO, Albay (provincial meet). It really helped me, was able to outperform Albay and CamSur, magagaling na sila talaga, ang taas ng mga kicks nila, but sabi ni Sir Noli, it’s not how high, it’s about accuracy.”

With a year of training in taekwondo, she has equally dedicated her time to academics and athletics, balancing the two adeptly.

“Hours of stretching and full splits, hours of video recording, rectifying my positions improving power and accuracy,” said Cassey, whose hard work

Lagrada then teamed up with Jonathan Ebbinghans Reaport in whipping the University of Baguio Archery Club pair of Renian Keith Nawew and Faith Anne Laruan 5-1 (31-26, 28-27, 32-32) to cap a fruitful day at the Dynamic Herb Sports Complex. She boosted her medal collection to four, counting her gold in the qualifying round and silver in the Olympic round, of the inaugural international youth tournament organized by World Archery Philippines also backed by FR Sevilla Industrial Corp. owned by WAP chairman Felizardo Sevilla Jr.

“I was able to make proper adjustments after my loss to Charlene last Friday and executed better today so I am happy to help our team,” explained Lagrada, 19, of her better outing in what could be her first and last outing in the Asean Youth Archery championships.

“This is a bittersweet experience because I believe this will be my last Asean Youth tournament since I will be turning 20 early in May next year and might not be eligible compete for the next one. It could be in the next two years so I will be overaged by then,” she pointed out.

Singapore’s Jyan Seow, Boxiang Tang, and Kaeden Wee, performing under the banner of Salt & Light Archery Club, topped Cebu Archery Club’s Aldrener Igot Jr., Zyril James Fano and Kien Zhyron Torreon 6-0 (53-50, 51-49, 55-52) in ruling the men’s Under-18 recurve team event. Udyong Archery Club’s Irish Angel Licudan, Kyla Marie Pascua and Zajara Sky Petilla routed Metro Archery Club’s Jemina Kesiya Aglipa, Penelope Juli Aldiano and Mariella Liza Valbuena 6-0 (41-35, 47-39, 43-38) in capturing the women’s Under-18 recurve team championship.

Cassey her medals Training timeCassey displays her regional gold medal finally paid off when she won the gold medal in the regional games, besting eight other jins for the right to represent the Bicol Region in the Palarong Pambansa national games.

“My parents would have been contented with the silver, but I got the gold! After days of sleeping wearing my dobok because I was too tired to get up and had to read and review pa for examinations to maintain my academic standing sa school, this is, is truly an academic-athletic balance na sabi na mahirap magawa. Mahirap, pero kaya,” she said.

As a result of Cassey’s achievement, she is being serenaded by top private schools of her city to be part of their Taekwondo Varsity Team, but the kiddo opted to continue her studies at the Naga City Science High School. And her journey continues.

Teammates hold up Inter Miami’s Argentine forward Lionel Messi as they celebrate after winning the Leagues Cup final football match against Nashville SC at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee.

AFP