Tough selection

JMC, Ateneo beat foes in Eaga Games qualifying

THE Jose Maria College (JMC) Kings and Ateneo de Davao University (Addu) Blue Knights beat their respective rivals as the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor’s Office (SDDCMO) recently opened the BIMP-Eaga Games Inter-Collegiate Basketball Qualifying Tournament at the Almendras Gym Davao City Recreation Center.

The Kings eked out an 80-66 victory over Holy Cross College of Sasa (HCCS) while the Blue Knights sank the AgroIndustrial Foundation College of the Philippines (AIFCP) Sailors, 65-62.

HCCS’s defeat, however, came on the heels of a 79-63 rousing win over DMMA College of Southern Philippines (DCSP) as Mats College of Technology tamed the Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC) Bulldogs, 74-59.

Tournament coordinator Cholo Elegino of the SDD-CMO said games will resume on Friday with John Paul II College pitted against University of Mindanao (UM) Wildcats in their 6 p.m. clash.

Elegino said the cagefest is a knockout system format, thus, a team that loses a match will be booted out of the competition.

“JMC and HCDC (Holy Cross of Davao College) are seeded being the first two teams in the Kadayawan basketball tournament,” he said in a phone interview.

The winner between John Paul and UM will play HCDC Crusaders on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. wherein the victorious team will arrange a semifinals match against Ateneo on Nov. 4

The other semis game pits JMC against Mats at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.

SDD-CMO officer-in charge Mikey Aportadera, in Thursday’s Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum said Davao City will send 82 athletes, coaches and officials to the bi-ennial 9th BIMP Eaga Friendship Games slated Dec. 6 to 12 in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Aportadera said, “We are happy that sports groups and school teams agreed to work together. They themselves decide to hold eliminations if needed. For us, we just support them because we also want a united Davao City delegation whether it is the Batang Pinoy or the Eaga Games.”

Entered in the Games, designed for 21 years old and below athletes, are athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, karate, lawn tennis, pencak silat and sepak takraw.

The Philippines will be represented by Davao City and Palawan.