‘Hardwork’ behind Cugman’s two-peat

SO AMUSING that while the Mayor’s Cup hoopfest had just taken off, Barangay Cugman can already take pride as the only team in the league now celebrating its back-to-back championship wins.

Paired against the ragtag Barangay 14, Cugman was even hardly challenged pulling off a one-sided 80-38 win on Sunday’s finale of the 2nd Mayor Dongkoy Emano Cup Inter-Barangay basketball at the Xavier University here.

“Puhon kon magpadayon kining tinuig nga Mayor’s Cup tourney, dili na sila malimtan as the first back-to-back champion sa atong liga,” said City Councilor Alexander Dacer.

What’s the secret behind Cugman’s success?

“Practice, hardwork, discipline, and teamwork lang gyod among gihimo kon nganong na-achieve namo `ni nga kalamposan,” Cugman coach Oliver Joo G. Park told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

And while he acknowledged the five-some of Luc Ashton Artazo, Titing Cruz, Waldo Santizo, Macmac Castillo and Dodong Cabillo as vital to their two-peat finish, Park said Cugman will remain as basically a team-play unit.

“Among team gusto maila as team effort gyod tinabangay tanan and not just relying on individual skills,” Park further said.

Meanwhile, Kauswagan dribblers tried their best to keep the 18-under title, but they fell short as the breaks of the game went in favor of Balulang.

As Lapasan’s title-retention bid got snapped in just the quarterfinals, vice champion Iponan seemed in a better position to put a stop to Camaman-an’s winning run. But even a commanding 22 points Iponan lead (26-4) right in the first quarter could not stop the gritty Camaman-an in imposing its will in the men’s open division.

“With the inclusion of 14-under and 18-under categories, we’re very optimistic that the Mayor’s Cup can produce and develop young and budding basketball players in the locality,” said tournament head Gerry “Boboy” Sabal.