One on One U11 cagers shine in CYBL
CEBU, Philippines – They get a chance to practice only during weekends, but it did not deter the youthful One on One cagers of Liloan from forming a cohesive team.
What's more surprising was their performance beyond expectations.
In a monumental triumph they will surely cherish, Team One on One shocked the heavily favored University of the Visayas, 41-30, in their knockout final match to clinch the Division One Under-11 championship of the Casino Active Cup/Cebu Youth Basketball League (CYBL) 2017 last week at the Magis Eagles Arena of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu in Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City.
The stunning upset denied UV of a piece of CYBL history having swept the Under 13, Under 16 and Under 19 age group titles before duking it out with One on One in the U11 final.
"From the very beginning of the tournament, we really did not expect even just to make it to the finals because the competition is very tough. Also, we're just a clinic-based team going up against top school players who have all the support they need," said One on One coach Edsel Vallena, who was a collegiate and commercial standout during his prime.
CJ Yurag had 12 points for One on One, which courageously fought back from an early 2-9 deficit. After yielding the first quarter, 8-9, it was One on One all the way from the second quarter until the end of the game.
"For what we have achieved, all I can say is that I'm proud of my boys. We only meet for practice during weekends, yet we made it all the way to the championship and nailed it in the end. We could not contain our happiness for this success," Vallena said.
The former CIT Wildcats star hopes to sustain their momentum as they gear up for the CYBL second conference this May. — EBV (FREEMAN)
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