Pasig King Pirates: Hoisting their flag in 3rd PCAP conference

MANILA, Philippines – The pirate raids in the second round of the ongoing PCAP-SMC-Ayala Land Premier Cup continue to go unabated.

The Pasig King Pirates laid waste to the Palawan-Albay Queen’s Gambit with a dominating 18.5-2.5 win and in completing their day’s bounty, they blew out of the water southern top side Toledo Trojans, 16-5.

Pasig’s twin-GM attack of Roland Salvador and Darwin Laylo netted them 5 out of 6 possible points against Palawan-Albay, and 4-2 against Toledo while new addition FM David Elorta and lady player Sherily Cua each took all six points for the taking from both matches. 

The twin triumphs vaulted Pasig to the top of the Northern Division standings with a 4-0 record and 62 points won that tied them to the top spot alongside San Juan.

Pasig has been on a non-stop ascent up the PCAP ladder. 

They finished seventh in the inaugural All-Filipino Cup and sixth in the Wesley So Cup. Both times, they also made the playoffs. 

With Elorta in the squad, he gives Pasig more firepower and flexibility. In fact, in the current rankings for the top players in the PCAP, GM Laylo and FM Elorta are ranked eighth and 17th respectively. But it is homegrown player Eric Labog Jr. who is ranked sixth best with 11.5 total points; half a point behind Manila’s IM Cris Ramayrat, San Juan’s IM Ricky de Guzman and the Philippine Paralympic Team’s Roel Abelgas, who lead four players by half a point. 

Laylo is hot on their tail with 11 total points while Elorta has tallied 10 markers.  

Elorta transferred from the idle Antipolo Cobras, who he played for in the second conference. He also suited up for Mindoro in the first conference. 

Elorta hopes that he has found a home with Pasig and that the ongoing third conference – the PCAP-SMC-Ayala Land Premier Cup will be the proverbial third time good charm.

On Wednesday, October 13, the King Pirates battle the Camarines Soaring Eagles in the first match of the double header, and the Mindoro Tamaraws in the nightcap.