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Sunday, March 19, 2006
Mantawi will be a force in MVBA: Ybañez
Too little time and too little money doesn’t necessarily mean a weak team.
Or so Mantawi Traders head coach Eddie Ybañez thinks in the 1st Mindanao-Visayas Basketball tournament.
Ybañez is confident his youthful yet dangerous Traders will be a force when the Visayas Division opens this Saturday in Toledo City despite having only a handful of veterans in the line-up and with only three weeks preparation.
Confident
“Despite the limited budget and the limited time we have to prepare, I still am confident this team will go places, like my teams before,” said Ybañez.
The Traders started hiring players last March 5 and was completed only last Monday, when they were presented to Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano. The team is also backed by business tycoon Michel Lhuillier.
Inexperienced
“I’ve been here before. I was criticized because my players were young and inexperienced, but still we were able to play in the championship despite our handicap,” said Ybañez.
The former Southwestern University Cobras coach has a knack for developing young players and has proven his style to be very beneficial, starting with of the Balls Discotheque until the Western Union Money Movers. Some of his players then have reached the professional and the semi-pro leagues.
Ybañez coached Danny Aying, Jimwell Torion who both went to play in the PBA while Cesar Romero and Ronald Saracho were also his products who became pillars in the PBL.
Advantage
“My advantage today is that I have very talented players and we got height,” he said.
With Rino Berami and Randy Sevilla manning the middle, ceiling is not going to be a problem for the Traders.
At the backcourt, Ybañez is confident team captain Ronaldo Bucao could command his teammates while Kim Calo will provide the spark.
“All these players have something to prove and I have challenged them that now is the time to prove themselves.” (RCM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (March 19, 2006 issue)
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