A MAGNANIMOUS RUNNER-UP FINISH FOR THE

ZCWD BASKETBALL TEAM IN THE 2018 SUMMER

INTER-AGENCY BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
By Yusop B. Masdal

With deep intensity and tough determination, the ZCWD Basketball Team almost copped the
much-coveted championship title in the just-concluded “Summer League 2018 Inter-
Governmental Volleyball and Basketball Tournament” when it valiantly suffered its only
second lost to the Police Regional Office 9 (PRO-9) basketball team in the July 22, 2018
championship game with the final score of 80 to 77.

It was a game where the intensity of play was at its highest as the game was almost level at halftime
with both teams not willing budge and give way. The third quarter saw the policemen spurted to as
high as 18 point lead when their big men was able to control the boards with their taller forwards
leaving ZCWD players with only one chance at the basket.

However, in the fourth quarter, ZCWD players scored more points when it slowly erased the 18-
point lead of PRO-9 with steady shooting from the 3-point area and tighter defense of the driving
lanes. Michaelo T. Mendoza led the fourth-quarter upsurge with five straight three points only to
unfortunately falter when his last rainbow shot was partially blocked with only 3 seconds on the
clock.

Despite of the championship loss, ZCWD coach Ernesto D. Zapanta lauded the ZCWD Team for
performing well in this tournament, garnering only a single loss in the entire elimination stage
cruising towards the championship berth that saw it pegged with the vaunted PRO-9 team that did
not suffer any loss in the elimination round. Mr. Zapanta has stated that he is certain that ZCWD
basketball team will surely improve on this runner-up finish in the next succeeding tournaments.

After winning its semi-finals match against DPWH, the ZCWD Basketball Team gained the one of
two championship slots after PRO-9 had locked upon the other slot by defeating Philippine Marines
team in the other semi-final match.

At the end of the elimination round of the “Summer League 2018 Inter-Governmental
Volleyball and Basketball Tournament”, the ZCWD Basketball Team was among the league
leaders as it gained second place standing in Bracket B.

Under the very able auspices of Head Coach Mr. Ernesto D. Zapanta, and Team Manager Mr.
Reynaldo R. Cabilin, the members of the ZCWD Basketball Team had prepared vigorously for
this tournament with weekly practices conducted at the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Basketball
Court. ZCWD players honed their game aptitude with the conduct of constant drills and workouts,
perfecting several plays designed to overcome the daunting challenges posed by other teams from
several government offices in the city. At the helm of the team practices was the team captain Mr.
Michaelo T. Mendoza, a seasoned player, whose wide experience and knowledge in the game has
greatly developed the team’s prowess and skills on the hardcourt.

There are a total of eighteen (18) teams participating in this year’s edition of the summer tournament
which had been won by ZCWD a couple of times in the past years. The current defending
champion is the team from the Commission on Audit (COA) Regional Office IX. The teams
participating in this tournament are the following government agencies:

1. Department of Health (DOH)

2. Department of Social Work & Development (DSWD)
3. Department of Public Works & Highways (DPWH)
4. Philippine Army
5. Philippine Navy A

1
 6. Philippine
7. Philippine Marines
8. Philippine National Police
9. ARSAF
10. Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD)
11. Department of labor & Employment (DOLE)
12. Bureau of jail & Management (BJMP)
13. Philippine Airforce (PA)
14. MARINA
15. Department of Agriculture (DA)
16. HDMF Pag-Ibig
17. City Engineer’s Office (CEO)
18. Philippine Coast Guard

The top teams after the elimination for each bracket are:

BRACKET A TEAMS WINS LOSS

1. PRO – 9 7 0
2. ZCWD 6 1
3. PHIL. AIRFORCE 4 2

BRACKET B TEAMS WINS LOSS

4. DPWH 7 0
5. PHIL. MARINES 6 1
6. DEPT. OF HEALTH 4 2

According to Mr. Zapanta, “It is but high time for ZCWD to regain the glory days of basketball. In
the years past, our office team have always been winning tournament after tournament - not only in
the city but also in regional tournaments like the MAWD sportsfest.”

Due to this rigorous preparation and conditioning by ZCWD players, the team had exemplified top-
level performance in its games against other teams. Currently, it has a 7 win and 1 loss record,
attaining it with wide-margin and lopsided wins, one after another, after a first-game loss to PRO-9,
in a tightly contested game which they led by as much as 25 points late in the third quarter. That
game was almost a won game had it not for an unexpected collapse in the dying minutes of the
fourth quarter. It was a learning experience for the team which was playing at that time at the home
court of the PRO 9 at Camp Col. Romeo A. Abendan, Barangay Mercedes.

The organizer of this tournament is Mr. Allan B. Escudero, who is the founder and current
president of the Zamboanga City Volleyball Association (ZCVA), in coordination with the City
Sports Development Office of the Office of the City Mayor. The games are being played at different
venues including the Tangan Gym of the Philippine Navy at WESMINCOM, the Barangay
Cabatangan Basketball Court and Barangay Sta. Maria Basketball Court. This year’s host agency is
the Philippine Navy. The champion of this tournament will receive a cash prize of Php 7,000.00 and
trophy.

In the volleyball tournament, the ZCWD women’s volleyball team had victoriously garnered third
place when it won the runner-up game against the team from the Zamboanga City Medical Center
(ZCMC). The game was held at the San Roque Central School grounds in the afternoon of July 22,

2
2018. The women’s volleyball teams have participated thru the able leadership of Mary Ann S.
Araneta.

According to Mr. Escudero, after this summer tournament, another season will begin on
September of this year, in time for the Fiesta Pilar celebration wherein the City Government will
sponsor the cash prizes where the champion team will be awarded Php 20,000.00 and trophy. Other
sports events will also be held simultaneously with event such as volleyball, chess and table tennis.

Currently, the ZCWD Basketball Team is playing in the Zamboanga City Basketball League
which began last July 29, 2018 at the Golden Boys Basketball Gymnasium at Vitaliano Agan
Avenue, Zamboanga City. It will be competing in the Inter-Government division with its first game
scheduled against the team from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on August
4, 2018 held at the Zamboanga City Coliseum in Barangay Tetuan, this City.

The current line-up of the ZCWD Basketball Team are the following:

ZAMBOANGA CITY WATER DISTRICT (ZCWD)

OFFICIAL BASKETBALL TEAM

1. MICHAELO T. MENDOZA – Engineering Assistant A – Pipelines & Leakage

Control Division (PLCD)
2. BERNARD QUINANOLA – Operations Group (OG)
3. BIENVENIDO D. MALLORCA - Heavy Equipment Operator – Non-Revenue Water
Management Division (NRWD)
4. DAVID U. SEBASTIAN - Customer Service Assistant C – Water Distribution Division
(WDD)
5. JOSEPH U. SEBASTIAN - Customer Service Assistant C - Water Distribution Division
(WDD)
6. RODERICK S. CABATO - Utility Worker A – Restoration Division (RD)
7. JAMES LINDOLN E. LEDESMA - (Job Order Agency)
8. RICHARD A. FRANCISCO - Utility Worker A - Pipelines & Leakage Control
Division (PLCD)
9. REGGIE M. ESTRELLAS - (Job Order Agency)
10. RICKY OMONGIA - (Job Order Agency)
11. GILBERT N. TAMISES - (Job Order Agency)
12. OLIVER C. TORIBIO – (Job Order Agency)
13. CRESENCIO S. ALAS, JR. - Liaison Aide – Building & Grounds Maintenance Division
(BGMD)
14. REX BILLY A. MALINAO - Building Electrician A - Building & Grounds Maintenance
Division (BGMD)
15. ARIEL MACAPILI – Technical Services Group (TSG)
16. JOEL BENGIL – Operations Group (OG)
17. JUNREY IDAYAN – (Job Order Agency)

3
ERNESTO D. ZAPANTA
Team Coach

SEVERINO L. SIGLOS
Assistant Team Coach/Team Coordinator

YUSOP B. MASDAL
Assistant Team Coordinator

REYNALDO R. CABILIN
Team Manager

- END.