Alab Cebu (I love Cebu)
So on Sunday, I hope the Hoopsdome will be packed to the rafters with fans screaming their heart out for Alab Pilipinas. Let’s make it an Alab country.
Ever since the MBA went bellyup and the Cebu City Sharks decided to play most of their home games in the MPBL in Manila, Cebu has been devoid of professional basketball action. Sure, we had the Sinulog Cups and other mini-tournaments now and then but they didn’t seem to sate the hunger for Cebuano basketball fans.
Consider how packed the Lapu-Lapu Hoopsdome was when the Sharks played their home games here, first in October and the second in December. Coincidentally, that first home game kickstarted a mini run for the Sharks, who are now 8 and 11 in the South Division after an awful start that had them failing to score in a single quarter in one game.
Cebu fans are hungry for pro basketball and on Sunday, Jan. 6, the fans can sure treat themselves to all the basketball they want when Cebu hosts Alab Pilipinas for the first time.
Still perfect in four games, Alab will face the Zuhai Wolf Warriors, which lost its first eight games before winning their last match. The Golden State Warriors they certainly are not. Still, it will be the Cebuano fans’ chance to see Renaldo Balkman in action as he is now playing for Alab after a stint with San Miguel in the PBA.
It’s going to be the fans’ first chance to see Bobby Ray Parks Jr. live for the first time as he will be finishing his Alab Pilipinas stint before he joins the PBA.
And of course, a big fan favorite is the coach, Jimmy Alapag, who was named the co-MVP the last time Cebu hosted the PBA All-Star match way back in 2004. Alapag has become a fan favorite for his stint with Gilas Pilipinas.
Who could forget that dagger three he took that gave us the lead against South Korea in 2014? Everyone at the Mall of Asia Arena and those watching on TV seem to have shouted at the same time. No, not shouted, that’s too lame. Everyone who saw that shot screamed their head off.
It was that historic. In fact, I still hear the commentator in my head every time I see Jimmy. “Alapag for three, Bang!” Heck, I was tempted to say that when I saw him for the press con for the Alab Pilipinas game.
So on Sunday, I hope the Hoopsdome will be packed to the rafters with fans screaming their heart out for Alab Pilipinas. Let’s make it an Alab country. I hope the first home game will be so memorable that the only thing the players, management and owners of Alab will have in mind would be: Alab (I love) Cebu, when shall we return?