ALA Promotions, USC Warriors grab spotlight in Cebu sports

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu Sports in 2015 will be highlighted by trailblazing and historical achievements of ALA Promotions in the field of boxing, and of course, the University of San Carlos  Warriors in the local cagedom.

ALA has further cemented Cebu’s status as the hotbed of boxing in the country by going global. After five years of planning, proposals, meetings and negotiations, ALA Promotions invaded the United States and international boxing scene with the first ever boxing event for a Philippine-based promotions outfit. The 'Pinoy Pride 33:Philippines vs The World' last October 17 at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, was a big hit, featuring Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes, the celebrated Pagara brothers Albert and Jason, and Mark Magsayo. This has paved the way for more boxing promotions that may be organized by Pinoys in the U.S. It’s also worth citing that ALA also put up a boxing event in Dubai. One thing for certain is that ALA Promotions isn’t stopping there as they embark on more events in the U.S. in the near future.

"It was something big for us, something emotional for us. It's been a long journey and now we're able to pul it off," said Aldeguer. "I would like to thank my father (Antonio 'Bidoy' L. Aldeguer) because he really started it all. I would also like to thank ABS-CBN for sharing our vision and believing in us. Everything wouldn't be possible without them."

Since its inception in 2010, ALA Promotions had been in collaboration with the largest Filipino multi-media conglomerate, ABS-CBN Corporation through ABS-CBN Sports + Action and The Filipino Channel, in carrying out a highly-successful Pinoy Pride series.

It took a lot of determination, commitment and effort on the part of ALA International to become the first promotional boxing outfit from Asia to secure a fight on US soil. This is not only historic, but it also lays down a solid foundation for expanding the promotions and broadcast of Filipino boxing matches internationally," added Aldeguer.

"We did this with ABS-CBN Sports + Action and TFC because we share the vision of showcasing the best of the Filipino – in this case of the sport of boxing – to the world and help our boxers aspire for excellence and achieve their dreams, especially with the vacuum that Manny Pacquiao will leave when he retires."

Nietes, the reigning World Boxing Organization and The Ring Magaine world light flyweight champion, etched his name further in the history books for defending his world championship three times, all against tough Mexicans. He stopped Gilberto Parra in the ninth round in Manila last February, then outboxed former WBO minimumweight champion Francisco Rodriguez Jr. to score a unanimous decision win in July. He then headlined ALA Promotions’ breakthough event in the United States with a unanimous decision win over Juan Alejo. He thus extended his reign as the country’s longest running active world champion in Philippine boxing history. After matching and then breaking Gabriel “Flash” Elorde’s record of seven straight years as a world champion, Nietes is now on track for his eighth straight year as a world champ.

Brothers ‘Prince’ Albert and Jason ‘El Nino’ Pagara were as impressive in decimating their Nicaraguan foes. ‘Prince’ Albert punched his way to a masterful six-round stoppage of a very game William “Chirizo’ Gonzales to wrest the WBO Intercontinental junior featherweight crown. His older brother Jason, the reigning WBO International junior welterweight champion also made an impression, needing only two rounds to dismantle Santos ‘El Toro’ Benavides.

Magsayo, on the other hand, lived up to his ring name ‘Magnifico’ in delivering a magnificent performance en route to a smashing first-round knockout of the previously unbeaten Mexican champion Yardly Suarez to keep his IBF Youth featherweight belt.

The year though, wasn’t all rosy as Cebu Boxing was also rocked by some tough losses in world championship fights. Milan Melindo, Arthur Villanueva and Johnriel Casimero all lost in tough title championship fights which were marked with controversy. Melindo lost to International Boxing Federation light flyweight champ Javier Mendoza of Mexico via a sixth round technical decision. Villanueva also lost  in a similar way to McJoe Arroyo of Puerto Rico after nine rounds for the IBF junior bantamweight championship of the world. At the time of the stoppage, both boxers were behind on points but were gaining ground and still had good chances to score big wins.             Casimero, on the other hand, lost by unanimous decision to IBF world flyweight champion Amnat Ruenrong of Thailand in a fight spiked with a lot of wrestling, holding and grabbing done by the defending champ. Among the other boxers who utilized 2015 to stay on pace for a shot at a world title were Albert Pagara, Jason Pagara and Magsayo of the ALA Boxing Gym, and Marlon Tapales of the Rex “Wakee” Salud Gym. All are just waiting for that big break for a world championship fight.

In basketball, the whole Carolinian community rejoiced. And who wouldn't? The University of San Carlos Warriors outclassed the University of the Visayas Green Lancers, 64-53, in the deciding match of their best-of-five finals to win their first collegiate cage crown in 57 years.

Ending their nearly six-decade title drought was obviously more precious for the Warriors than wrapping up the championship of the 15th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. cage season.

"I can't express my feelings right now. Being the only link from the last champion team of USC to this present set of champions, it's truly a sentimental, meaningful win for me," said a teary-eyed Julian Macoy, the only active among the remnants of the previous USC champion squad.

Then coached by the late Juan 'Dodong' Aquino Jr., Macoy was part of USC's Green and Gold Warriors that reigned supreme in the Cebu Collegiate Athletic Association (the precursor of the CESAFI)during its 1958-59 season.

Skippered by Danilo 'Danny' Deen with Reynaldo de la Cruz as co-captain, the other members of the team were Manuel Bas, Agapito Rogado, Esmeraldo Abejo, Roberto Reynes, Gerald del Rosario, Cesar Manalili, Edgardo Galdo, Boy Canda, Nilo Verano, Ernesto Michael, and Dionisio Jakosalem.

"Coach Macoy is really a symbol of inspiration for this team," said USC coach Britt Carlo Reroma. "It's a sweet victory for us, but we have to give credit to those who laid out the foundation of what is now a very strong USC basketball program. I'm just blessed that I came here at the right time and at the right place. We offer this championship to the whole Carolinian community," added Reroma.

Aside from ALA Promotions and the USC Warriors, Cebuana dance athlete Rhea Marquez also deserved a special mention. Marquez and her partner Jun Julius Obero of Manila caught everyone by surprise after they lifted the Philippines to a historic triumph in the 2015 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Wheelchair DanceSport World Championships at the Federal Technical Center-Bocciodromo Via Fiume Bianco in Rome, Italy.

Marquez and Obero stunned the highly fancied Russian duo of Galina Ryzhkova and Viacheslav Osipov in a close contest to be crowned world champions in combi freestyle class 2.

It was the first ever gold medal of the Philippines in the seven-year history of the IPC tilt.  Ryzhkova and Osipov took the  silver medal. Interestingly, Marquez and Obero teamed up only two weeks before the Rome tiff. Despite the limited time and meager financial resources, they gamely overcome the odds on the way to come up with a breakthrough win in the annual contest participated in by about 150 athletes from nearly 25 countries across the globe.

“We were having goosebumps standing in front of the crowd,  shouting and cheering for us while the Philippine flag was raised and our national anthem was being played for the first time,” said Marquez in recalling their glorious moment.

“For what we have achieved, we are thankful to God because He never left us. He is with us on our journey towards everything, from the moment we stepped into the dance floor and as we start dancing, we really felt His presence and guidance,” added Marquez.

Marquez, who hails from San Isidro, Talisay City, is a product of the barangay-based grassroots development program of the Cebu City Sports Commission under the flagship of Edward Hayco. She gained athletic scholarship at De La Salle University through dancesport, and now a well-deserved worldwide acclaim.

Here are the other significant moments in Cebu Sports in 2015.

In  January, the Cebuanos witnessed the first leg of the four-part Asean Mountainbike Cup in Danao City, with Filipina rider Ariana Dormitorio winning the women's elite ande Hong Kong's Chung Hing Chan ruling the men's side. Chung's teammate Chun Kin Lai had a double victory in the world cross-country junior series and the UCI junior downhill action.

Last March, the Cebuanos witnessed one of the country's most-talked about circuit races, the Toyota Vios Cup topped by Andres Calma. Japanese drift king Keiichi Tsuchiya  wowed the crowd during an exhibition.

In May, Lapu-Lapu City's pride Jerish John Velarde became the youngest Cebu chess player  to earn a CM or candidate master title following a silver finish in the 11th Asian Schools Chess Championships at the Nanjang Technological University.

Cebuano athletes came up with a golden performance during the SEA Games last June in Singapore. They were Filipina-Japanese Kiyomi Watanabe in judo and Warren Kiamco in billiards. The other medallists were Rubelin with silver in  9-ball women's singles, Mary Joy Tabal with silver in women's marathon, taekwondo jin Rinna Babanto with a silver and a bronze, pingpong player Richard Gonzales with a silver in men's singles, Rhey Ortouste with a silver in sepak takraw doubles, and bowler Alexis Sy with two bronzes.

In the same month, mountainbiker Nino Surban finally got what he wanted, and despite battling on a high altitude course, he survived the 2015 UCI Mountainbike Marathon  World Championships in Selva Val Gardena in Italy and the  UCI World Cup cross-country event in  Switzerland.

In August, the Cebuanos proved they are a powerhouse in beach volleyball as Danika Gendrauli and Jade Bacaldo towed their respective teams to the championsship in the inagural Philippine Super Liga-Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup in Manila.

The 2015 edition of the Cobra Energy Ironman 70.3 Philippines saw Australian Tim Reed outsprinting bestfriend Tim Van Berkel to top the men's pro division, while Switzerland's Caroline Steffen completed a historic a four-peat in the women's side. Buoyed by its huge success, the Cebuano now gear up for the first ever Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Champion to be hosted again by Cebu in August 2016.

In September, the University of Cebu table tennis team debuted with a champion's crown in the 10th Universiti Teknologi Mar (UiTM) International Sports Fiesta in Malaysia.

Also, the National Duathlon Championships was held in Cebu for the first time since its inception, but long-time national duathlon team member Mirasol Abad and national triathlon mainstay John Leerams still ruled the action at the South Road Properties.

A record-field of more than 500 dance athletes from all over the world took part in the Cebu WDSF  DanceSport Open and 8th DanceSport sa Sugbu at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Lahug, this city. It is the first time that the Cebu Open became a World DanceSport Council-sanctioned event.

Last October, some of Cebu's top junior triathletes took home several medals in the 2015 Hongkong ASTC Sprint Triathlon Asian Cup in Launtau Island, with Aaliyah Mataragon, Issa Priagula and Catherine Yu leading the charge.

Team Visayas, composed mainly of Cebuanos, got back the overall crown of the Milo Little Olympics with 577 points total,  only 2.5 points ahead of archrival National Capital Region at the end of the multi-sporting event in Laguna.

The Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (CEPCA), under the flagship of Engr. Jerry Maratas, celebrared their 25th Anniversary, certifying its status as the longest-exisiting chess organization in the country. Two months later, they launched  the club's Silver Anniversary commemorative magazine titled 'Silver Shining, CEPCA@25'.

In November, the 2015 NABBA Mr. and Ms. Universe International Bodybuilding Championship took place for the first time in in the country at the Mariner’s Court. Despite the cancellation of some international flights due to the APEC Summit, the event was still a huge success.

Sandy Bontuyan saved host Philippines after emerging as the overall champion in the physique as the Kiwis completely dominated the landmark contest. New Zealand's Kurt Brunton was hailed as the overall champion in the men's Athletic and Sarah Malthus got the overall crown as Ms. Figure.

For the first time since its inception in the early 2000s, the Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy Championships finally took place in the Queen City of the South.

Despite short notice, the Kopiko-sponsored Team Cebu made a successful debut in the international scene via a third place finish overall in the Tour de Siak in Indonesia.

In December, the Cebuanos made another historic event, the setting of the world record for the biggest arnis class with 4,200 arnisadors at the Cebu City Sports Center. A certification from the Guinness World record just serves as an icing to its cake this time since the Cebu City Sports Commission is not attempting to break an existing record, but the first one to set it.

Mary Joy Tabal ended the year with a rare grandslam in a national marathon event via the 39th Milo Marathon finals held in Angeles City for the first time. As incentive, Tabal will represent the country in the Boston Marathon in summer.