DAVAO Region senior men’s spikers survived a four-set thriller while the men’s basketball team lost its opening game in Day 1 of the National Prisaa Games 2019 held in separate venues in Davao City Monday, May 20.

Davao Region, bannered mostly by University of Mindanao (UM) players, outlasted Central Visayas in the first two sets, 28-26, 26-24, following a series of deadlocks and lead changes at the UM covered court.

However, Central Visayas bounced back by claiming the third set, 25-21, through solid blocks and service aces to the dismay of pro-Davao fans.

But learning from their third set debacle, Dabawenyos regrouped and came back with vengeance as they retained their pace in the fourth, scoring on powerspikes, service aces and crucial errors of the rival squad.

Rex Paller, Jann Ashley Jacob, Romel Bughao, Fred Maghinay and Rayan Bansagan led the charge for the Jhonathan Vanta-coached Davao team.

In an interview, Vanta said, “Nag-compose na kay medyo nawala sa third set man gud, gipa-focus lang sila balik sa dula (The boys regained composure since they lost momentum in the third set and brought their focus back into the game).”

The Dabawenyos will play Northern Mindanao, which they have beaten in past Prisaa stagings, today.

Davao’s secondary boys spikers, for their part, eked out a 25-8, 25-17 debut win over Zamboanga Peninsula while the senior women’s team survived past Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 21-25, 25-13, 24-26, 25-15, 15-9.

In other games, Calabarzon routed Cagayan Valley, 25-14, 25-20, 25-6, in senior’s men’s event. Central Visayas crushed Cagayan Valley, 25-12, 25-7, 25-9, while Calabarzon spanked Central Luzon, 25-23, 25-15, 25-20, and Western Visayas overwhelmed Ilocos, 25-12, 25-11, 25-10 in women’s class.

Over at Almendras Gym Davao City Recreation Center, Davao dribblers bowed to Soccsksargen, 75-84, even as Western Visayas defeated CAR, 72-62, and Central Visayas toyed with Caraga, 153-60.

The Davao secondary boys basketball team, meanwhile, absorbed a heartbreaking 64-65 defeat at the hands of Northern Mindanao.

At the Tagum City Beach Volleydrome, Davao’s secondary boys pair rolled over CAR, 21-8, 21-7, but the Davao girls succumbed to Central Visayas, 23-21, 13-21, 16-18.