Games tomorrow (USC gym, Cebu City)
4 p.m. – Cignal vs Systema
6 p.m. – AirAsia vs Petron
CEBU, Philippines – Beauteous Michelle Gumabao drops her showbiz hat to return to the sport she loves most, rejoining her Team La Salle-AirAsia when it faces Petron on Saturday in the 2014 PLDT Home-Philippine Superliga (PSL) All-Filipino Conference volleyball tournament in this bustling Queen City.
Gumabao’s volleyball comeback happens just as the premiere club league holds its very first provincial sortie made possible by PSL and Score president Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara, who hails from this city.
“We are bringing topnotch volleyball action closer to the masses. And Cebu was a hands down choice for our very first provincial game because there are lots of volleyball talents waiting to be tapped from here,” said Suzara, a former national youth player himself.
“AirAsia also waited for an opportune time for Michelle to rejoin her La Salle teammates since she had a lot of commitments in her show business career before we started. Now that she’s back, AirAsia is complete team already,” Suzara added.
Suzara also said more provincial games are being worked out by Score for the PLDT-Superliga after the Cebu leg dubbed “Spike on Tour! - the Out-of-town series” at the University of San Carlos gym here.
Air Asia is the league’s official airline, and together with Gilligan’s Restaurants , Healthway Medical , PLDT Home DSL, Cignal, Solar Sports, Mikasa, Asics, Mueller, Bench, LGR, Petron and Generika, made this event possible.
Also making an appearance is popular actor-sportsman Richard Gomez, who will serve as the cornerstone of Systema in its battle against Cignal, a squad powered by Cebuano spikers Mike Abria, Emmanuel Luces, Kenboy Abunda and Joel Villonson, in the men’s division.
Players and coaches of all four teams will grace a press conference at the Ramos branch of Casa Verde restaurant today at 12 noon followed by a three-hour interactive volleyball clinic for Gawad Kalinga Cebu’s children aged 8-16 years old at 2 pm at the USC gym.
Then on game day, Southwestern University (SWU) and University of Cebu (UC) dancers will render dance numbers during intermission courtesy of SWU Athletic Director Ryan Aznar and University of Cebu Athletic Director Bernardino Ricablanca through the efforts of Mrs. Dolly Suzara of Sinulog Foundation.
Councilor Richie Osmena, Chair of Youth and Sports Committee of Cebu City and Mayor Rama were also invited for short inspirational speeches while Cebu City Sports Commission Edward Hayco will welcome the teams together with USC Fr. Adriano Ocariza, SVD.
“Although she (Gumabao) already had two practice sessions with us, she’s not yet in her hundred percent,” said coach Ramil de Jesus, whose Flying Spikers are toting a 3-2 win-loss card, one full game behind league-leading Petron.
“She won’t start the game, but I plan to field her sparingly just to give her a feel on big-time competition again. I know she will regain her form very soon. And I hope this Cebu game will be the start.”
Tickets are still available at the USC athletic department’s office for 100 pesos for the bleachers and 200 pesos at ringside. It is being sold on a first-come-first-served basis.