Aquastars set sights on title

THE hardship the players went through in this challenging time of the pandemic are more than enough motivation for the MJAS Zenith Talisay to go for the inaugural championship of the Pilipinas Vismin Super Cup.

Veteran guard Paolo Hubalde and team manager Jhon Santos both agreed winning the title is the ballclub’s only goal in the upstart regional league.

“The goal is to win the championship, it will be league history because we will be the inaugural champion,” Santos told the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

“Winning the championship is the reason why we joined the league,” Hubaldo, 40, told the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

Santos and Hubalde appeared in the forum along with Puma PH Senior Manager For Sales Marketing and Operations Michael Aldover, who they thanked for coming to the team during the health crisis.

The Aquastars’ core are the same players who play for Valenzuela City in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

Santos said the Aquastars will leave for Cebu on March 16 to officially start practices as training in Manila has been limited to individual workouts in compliance with health and safety protocols.

The league will kick off with the Visayas leg on April 9 in Alcantara, Cebu. The winner of the Visayas leg will battle its counterpart in the Mindanao leg for the championship set in Zamboanga City.