Calabarzon bets rule wheelchair caging

MANILA, Philippines - Two Calabarzon teams clashed for the gold medal in the wheelchair basketball tournament of the first PSC-Philspada National Games that officially closed at the Marikina Sports Park in Marikina City on Monday.

Calabarzon-Tahanang Walang Hagdanan relied on an 11-0 run bridging the second and third periods to pull away for good and score an 81-49 victory over Calabarzon-Disabled Athletes Club of Rizal in the final game.

Rene Macabenguil, who was later named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, led Tahanang Walang Hagdanan with 19 points, all of which were scored in the first three quarters. He was pulled out of the game early in the fourth period after his team stretched its lead to 67-40.

Cesar Morgia added 18 markers for Tahanang Walang Hagdanan.

The Disabled Athletes Club of Rizal was led by Philspada wheelchair basketball team mainstay Juanito Mingarine who finished with 26 points, including a rare three-point shot late in the third quarter as he tried in vain to rally his team. Mingarine, however, did not get enough support from his teammates as only he and Jeff Legacion scored for the Disabled Athletes Club of Rizal in the fourth period.

Legacion finished with nine points in the game.

Joining Macabenguil and Mingarine in the Mythical Five Selection were Harold Ilagan of the Quezon City Stallions, Freddie Magdayo of Cagayan de Oro and Alex Teves of the National Vocational and Rehabilitation Center (NVRC).

The QC Stallions upended NVRC, 44-35, for the bronze medal.

Present during the awarding and closing ceremonies of the games organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled-National Paralympics Committee of the Philippines (Philspada-NPC Phils) were Marikina City Mayor Del De Guzman, PSC commissioner Akiko Thomson-Guevara, Philspada-NPC Phils chairman Mike Barredo, Philspada-NPC Phils sec-gen Carlos Weber Jr. and senior territory manager/LGU coordinator of Manila Water Company Anthony Zafra.

Philispada wheelchair basketball coach Vernon Perea also used this tournament to scout for players, especially those from the provinces.

“Kalahati kasi ng team medyo nagkaka-edad na kaya we are looking new players,” he said.

Perea said that since Philspada is now getting full support from the PSC, the can rebuild the team this year and hopefully join international tournaments next year.

“One of our main problems are the wheelchairs. Compared to the ones the other countries are using, mas mabibigat yung sa atin,” Perea added.

Meanwhile, Ernie Gawilan of Davao City was hailed as the meet’s most bemedaled athletes with six golds in swimming. Gawilan, born with both feet missing, competed in the S8 classification.