Home sweet home for Cebu Sharks

CEBU — Considered as the hotbed of basketball, Cebu City hosted the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) games for the first time this season and there’s no better way to be rewarded than seeing its local team, the Cebu Sharks-Casino Ethyl Alcohol winning Saturday night’s game against the favored Makati Skyscrapers.

Looking back, Cebu has been a city with rich basketball tradition.

University of San Jose Recolletos-Basak Coliseum, to which the double header of Saturday night’s matches were slated, had become a rich product of talents from the time of Abet Guidaben down to the period when Jojo Lastimosa, Dondon Ampalayo, and Zaldy Realubit formed a deadly triumvirate in making USJR the most powerhouse squad in the nation.

Cebu made its mark as well in regional basketball stage when teams like Mama’s Love and Lhuillier Jewelers, the Cebu Gems and the Cebu Niños were able to bring glory to the city.

Even the top two big men in the country today — reigning four-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo and Greg Slaughter, traced their roots in Cebu basketball and they were longtime college rivals, a rivalry that spilled over all the way to the pro league.

So when the MPBL Datu Cup brought the games to the Queen City of the South, the most radical basketball fans came out to support the Sharks, knowing that their team needed their backing the most.

Prior to the game, the Sharks had won just once in nine games and were staring at a four-game losing skid.

It’s not surprising that Patrick Cabahug and the rest of the mainstays played with much urgency so as not to disappoint the fans that came out in full force.

Cabahug led the way, finishing with 22 points, seven rebounds and hitting four three-point shots.

William McAlloney came away with a double-double effort, tallying 13 points and 10 boards while the rest of the gang helped any which way they can.

For Cabahug, pride is the only thing they’ve been thinking. There was a time when the team was held scoreless in one of the games the entire quarter and the squad bounced back strong the next game, beating inaugural staging champion Batangas City.

In front of the Cebuanos, Cabahug & company did not let them down.

The 2-8 standing of the Sharks is not an indication of how much resolve the team has. But make no mistake about it, this Cebu team is not about to roll over and die in the tournament. They’re determined to keep their playoffs hopes alive.

The victory at home could be the start of something new for the Sharks.