Sunday, January 20, 2008 Bambi, Iligan battle for Gitagum cage ring By Lynde Salgados
WHEN hometown favorite Bambi-Misor locks horn with Purina Iligan tomorrow in the Gitagum Invitational Fiesta basketball tournament, coach Dodo Bernados can expect one big logical threat to their title bid: the explosive duo of Dino Cabili and Jerome Paterno.
The sweet-shooting Cabili is no stranger to local cage buffs being a regular feature of the NBC league playing for various squads such as Iligan Crusaders and the now unheard Valencia Golden Harvest. In fact, he's often a hired gunner of Bernados himself in commercial tourneys elsewhere.
"We know the capacity of Eng-Cab's (as he's known to friends) to create points from afar. He's a licensed three-point shooter that we're not taking Iligan lightly especially that San Beda stalwart Paterno is also beefing up its frontline," Bernados told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Former Sun.Star Cebu sportswriter Jack Biantian, whose wife is a native of Gitagum, Misamis Oriental describes Paterno as a smart hardcourt warrior who can exploit the low post area and is a fine shooter too. "He's a good player and an effective defender with his pair of long arms. Offensively, he's difficult to contain with when playing one-on-one against smaller guys," Biantian quipped.
The Misor quintet also took notice of Paterno's combativeness. But Bernados is unfazed, saying they have an equal chance to win Sunday's championship showdown set shortly after the 5 pm battle for third-place between Xavier University Senior Crusaders and Bullecer.
Misor's confidence is bolstered by the presence of bull-strong Buchok Biongcog, Bernados' latest acquisition, who showed aggressiveness and consistency in its previous outings.
It was Biongcog's courageous assault in the last five seconds of play that gave Bambi-Misor a nail-biting 98-96 win against XU in the crossover round.
Bernados can also count quality minutes from old reliables Nat Cruz, Jerome Numeran, Remuel Tedlos, Edmund Tilap and Dondon Taclindo come fight night.
Gitagum Mayor Rudy Buray will be on hand to grace the awards rites along with Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar S. Moreno who's also in the roster of Bambi.
