Loaded with great determination, unfathomable willpower, and unmatched grit, the VSU Pythons clinched the Visayas State University (VSU) Cup Basketball Tournament championship title after a convincing 30-point victory over the VSU Alumni, 109-79, on Wednesday evening, April 26, 2023, at the VSU Lower Campus Basketball Court.
The stage was set, and the atmosphere was oozing with immense pressure as both teams vied for championship glory. It was the VSU Pythons who went against the seasoned veterans, the VSU Alumni.
The Pythons started their surge with a sense of urgency, sensing blood with their eyes locked on the ultimate prize. It was J. Muñez who crashed three (3) early offensive boards, cashed in on second-chance points, and dished out two (2) assists in the process to solidify an early 10-point lead in the opening minutes. However, Team Alumni’s Avila and K. Chavez retaliated by answering Pythons’ attack. The Alumni immediately boxed out and double-teamed J. Muñez in a desperate effort to slow down his domination on the offensive rebounds and deny his playmaking brilliance. But J. Muñez was unstoppable in the first quarter.
The Alumni responded with intense physicality on both sides of the court trying to wear the Pythons down, but the Pythons were never fazed off by it. In spite of an early advantage, the Pythons intensified their effort on defense and forced an 8-second violation on Team Alumni. With excellent ball control and active hands, the Pythons got a hold over Alumni as they forced Alumni to commit several turnovers for easy transition lay-ups led by Rolando Jesus Abad and the eventual MVP, Al James Calizar to end the first half, 70-43.
The two-way menace duo coming off the bench, F. Nuñez Jr. and D. Moreno, had exceptional performances on both offense and defense disrupting the opposing team's plays, leading to multiple turnovers and missed shots. Nuñez Jr. dazzled the crowd with his five assists and three steals in the third quarter alone, setting up his teammates for easy baskets. Moreno, on the other hand, drained three crucial three-pointers in the second quarter, providing a much-needed spark extending the Pythons' lead beyond reach.
Throughout the game, Calizar's sharpshooting and offensive prowess was on full display. In the third quarter, he made two demoralizing 4-point plays that brought the crowd to their feet. His accuracy from beyond the arc and his ability to create space on the court made him a constant threat to the opposing team's defense.
Despite the Alumni's strong defensive effort, Calizar's offensive firepower and determination were too much for them to handle. His efforts on both sides of the floor were critical to the Pythons' victory in the VSU 2023 Basketball Cup.
After tallying 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, Al James Calizar was named as the Finals MVP. A well-rounded performance that did not disappoint offensively and defensively.
In an interview with Amaranth, Calizar has his eyes set on this year's Regional SCUAA meet.
"This Championship, this MVP, this is not all me, but through God's glory. What this means to me and to my teammates is for us to improve on our future games, for us to strive harder. Although we are on top, we should always be humble. This is also to prepare us for the upcoming SCUAA meet here in VSU".
The annual Regional SCUAA, as announced at the previous sports stint at SLSU, will be held at Visayas State University. The Pythons who finished fourth last year, will again contend against the top college basketball teams of Region 8 in pursuit of a first-place finish this coming SCUAA meet.