Win NBA2K17 video game!

Custer George Galas and Augusto (Anthony) de Jesus III clinched tickets to represent the country in next year’s NBA2K17 Asia tournament in Taipei by making it to the finals of the Philippine leg during the E-Sports and Gaming Summit at the SMX Convention Center last Sunday.

Galas, 24, and De Jesus, 30, went through the gauntlet in surviving the semifinals to book their slots. In the best-of-three finals, Galas beat De Jesus, 2-1 as they took turns deploying the troops of the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs. Galas previously defeated Darwin Malabanan and De Jesus repulsed Alexter Arreola in the semifinals. Malabanan, playing Cleveland, went on to take third place in a playoff over Arreola, playing the Spurs.

Rely San Agustin, CEO of the organizing RSA 1 Group, Inc., said 256 players joined the competition that featured two elimination stages. The first stage was held at SM Southmall last Oct. 15 with 128 players split into 32 groups of four. The second stage was held also at SM Southmall last Oct. 16. SM Cyberzone hosted the two eliminations. In both stages, each group played a single round-robin where only the top player advanced to the top 32. Then came the knockout eliminations where every winner moved up to the top 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.

“It was an amazing tournament,” said San Agustin. “The champion (Galas) never owned his own PS4 console and would actually spend time playing NBA2K in his friend’s house. He upset Rial Polog, the NBA2K16 Asian champion, in the finals of the first stage. The competition was so tough that Wilmer Magno, the NBA2K16 Asian runner-up last year, was eliminated early in the group level of the second stage.”

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Galas is an Adamson fourth year mechanical engineering undergrad from Caloocan. De Jesus is a high school graduate from Tondo and works as a stock custodian at Nautica under Planet Sports. He is married with one child. Third placer Malabanan, 23, is a computer engineering graduate from Bulacan State University and a senior associate at Maersk Global Service Center. Fourth placer Arreola, 21, is an IT graduate from Baliuag University.

Aside from the trip to Taipei, Galas took home an NBA2K17 PS4 bundle sponsored by Sony. De Jesus got an NBA League Pass and the ticket to Taipei. Malabanan won an NBA League Pass for finishing third. Only eight regional finalists will battle in the NBA2K17 Asian conclave.

The NBA2K17 media session and consumer launch were held at the NBA Cafe in SM Aura last Sept. 23 with Nikko Ramos hosting both events. Paolo Flores, product marketing specialist for PlayStation, detailed the features of the latest iteration of the NBA video game before the media and during the consumer launch. Gilas player and GlobalPort draftee Von Pessumal was the special guest at the consumer launch. Also attending the launch were Polog and Magno who dominated the Asian finals in Taipei last year.

San Agustin said the NBA2K17 video game is available at Datablitz, NBA Store, Toys R Us, Toy Kingdom and Game Extreme for P2,695 each. “It’s the ultimate in sports simulation authenticity and an incredible digital basketball experience,” he said. “You’re in complete control of your team, you’ve got the power to hit the perimeter shots and the ability to finish inside the paint.”

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Among the outstanding features of the NBA2K17 video game are the MyCAREER storyline with actor Michael B. Jordan, USA Basketball with coach Mike Krzyzewski, alternating broadcasters, a menu of 50 songs in an electric soundtrack and the best-in-class game play with Advanced Skill Shooting. NBA2K17 developer Visual Concepts president Greg Thomas promised both new fans and NBA2K veterans “the most comprehensive experience in our franchise history starting with an unparalleled MyCAREER showcase placing gamers throughout a unique, compelling storyline.”

To give everyone a chance to enjoy the NBA2K17 experience, San Agustin is giving away one NBA2K17 Early Tip-Off edition video game. He’s also adding a 2K Notebook, authentic NBA baller band and a Los Angeles Lakers sticker “This Is Why We Play” as bonus prizes. The package is something you won’t want to turn away.

It’s easy to win. Just express, in a maximum of three sentences, why you’d like to own the NBA2K17 video game in a creative and sensible way. Then, answer the following three questions: 1. Which coach had a better win-loss record with Golden State last season – Steve Kerr or Luke Walton? 2. Who is the new starting center of the Atlanta Hawks? 3. Who is the former PBA coach now an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers? Don’t forget to write your name, contact details (email address or cellphone number), age, address and occupation (if student, what school, course and year).

Send in your entries by email to [email protected] or Instagram @therealdeanquinito or Twitter @TheDeanQuinito or by delivery to “A Sporting Chance,” The Philippine Star, Port Area, Metro Manila. Deadline is Monday, Nov. 7, 5 p.m. Your prizes are waiting for you.