Wednesday, October 03, 2007 SWU exceeds targets in comeback
A NEOPHYTE in the finals is just too good to be true.
Armed with pure and raw talent with sheer determination and huge dreams as their main driving force, the Southwestern University Cobras returned to the collegiate basketball scene after a six-year absence without any expectations, being the newest squad in the eight-team field.
But the Cobras plunged into the competition full of surprises. In the elimination round, the Cobras went on a killing spree defeating not just the perennial lower-ranked teams of Cesafi but even the highly-touted ones like the University of San Jose-Recoletos and University of Cebu and finished the elimination round in the top three.
It was Cindrella story in the making and people were hoping to see the underdog in the finals.
“We exceeded expectations,” said SWU athletic director and manager of the basketball team, Ryan Aznar, whose main aim for joining this year is just for exposure. Until their surprising run.
The Cobras won its quarterfinal assignment against UC, one of the pre-season favorites, to book a semis outing with University of San Carlos.
“We did not expect to make it this far into the game,” Aznar said.
Fate
However, fate caught up with them. In the best of three semifinals, the Cobras’ inexperience was finally bared as it lost to USC in straight games.
“Our players caved in to the pressure. It was our worst game to date. It was very unfortunate that it had to happen during the most important and crucial game of the season,” Aznar said.
Aznar, however, added that this setback is no reason to give up. The Cobras, who as of the moment are still in the running for third place against a still to be determined foe, will get up and move on and this time, they will be stronger.
“There will be changes for next season. Our players Cleford Maguate, Ard Diango, Gilbert Gallarde and Alfred Belande will now be beefing up the team,” said Aznar.
This will be an assurance that the Cobras will be there next season more lethal than ever with heads held high and fangs bared. (MCB)
