WITH an eye on the future, the Municipality of Tuy, Batangas will field a youth-laden team in the Philippine Inter-School SportS Association (PISSA) junior basketball championship to be held at Philippine Cultural College gym in Abad Santos, Manila.

To be led by Vice Mayor Randy Afable and coach Florencio Lana, Tuy will rely on young but talented players in the tournament against four other teams teeming with more experienced players.

Tuy will be backed up by Divertex Sports and Entertainment of businessman-sportsman Vince Ochague and Danna Calingasan.

“We decided to field a team composed of 16 to 18-under players to give them the necesary experience against their more-experienced rivals,” said Lana, who will depend on Vhon Perez and RJ Bosque to be his assistant coaches.

“Siguradong magkakaroon ng magandang experience ang mga players namin sa ligang ito,” added Lana who expressed his gratitude to the all-out support of Vice Mayor Afable, Councilor Jun Jun Afable and Michael Perez and the parents of the players.

Lana will pin his hopes on Cyres John Carandang, Lance Elsyd Hernandez, Jacob Bryan Galang, Jose Santi Salaysay, Mike Abriel Catapang, Von Dela Ysla, Keith Riva and Mike Magbuo.

Tuy-Divertex will face NCAA team Malayan University-521 Trading Inc., University of Perpetual Help Dalta, Philippine College of Criminology and Philippine Cultural College.

Also expected to suit up for Tuy are Brix Eliponga, Charles Respicio, Kiel Perez, Mark Lester Esteron, Amiel Salazar, John Paul Ramos, Khyle Desacola, John Emmanuel Gomez, Djay Antipolo, Andrei Romeo Ruffy, John Albie Calingasan and Denmark Mendoza.

PISSA tournament head Melchor Posadas Divina and Frank Gusi said the five participating teams willl play in a double-round elimination with the top two teams battling in a winner-take-all finals.

The champion will represent Philippines in Macau Invitational.

Antonio Quiza Sr. is the commissioner, Romulo Raytos is the tournament director while Nanding Gayanilo and Nestor Macatuno head the technical commitee.

The tournament is co-organized by Federation of School Sports Athletic Association (FESSAP) and sanctioned by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), headed by Dr. Robert Milton Calo. AA

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