Before Queen's "We Are The Champions" was put on blast in celebration of the victory of the kings of the court, the VSU Pythons demonstrated what it meant to have perfect team chemistry. Their flawless tournament campaign highlighted their unmatched cohesiveness and synergy, solidifying their status as a force to be reckoned with in the region.
Ken Adrian Serviño fired six of VSU’s last 10 points as the Pythons overcame a comeback scare from the EVSU-Ormoc Eagles in the closing minutes of the finals game, 68-59, to complete a perfect run in the Ormoc City Inter-Collegiate Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, March 6, at the Ormoc City Superdome.
Despite having no home-court advantage and a 5,000-seater venue packed with supporters cheering from the opposing team, the Pythons remained true to their laser-focused mentality. Marvin Rebuyas, a true testament to their winning culture, bested all scorers of the night with 17 big points to help secure their reign.
The spotlight also shone brightly on tournament Most Valuable Player, Rolando Jesus Abad, who demonstrated his mastery over the game with dominant control of the boards throughout their stint. On top of his accolade, what meant the most for him was winning it all for their seniors, who in the coming months will bid their goodbyes to the college hardcourt.
"The win was especially meaningful because we dedicated the tournament to our seniors," the MVP said.
"Additionally, what we gained from the experience was the remarkable improvement in our teamwork, the way we communicate inside the court is unmatched, and it's different from when we first started. It's also a big help in preparation for our rebuilding season because two of our graduating seniors, Gerona, and Calizar who is our Team Captain, are part of the starting unit and our team's core."
Meanwhile, Abad's teammates were not far behind, contributing significantly to their perfect tournament campaign. The team boasts an undefeated record of eight elimination round wins, in which one was automatically won by forfeit. In all of those wins, the team produced 6 different Best Players namely, Al James Calizar, Beltezesar Managbanag, Ken Adrian Serviño, Dhamian Moreno, Marvin Rebuyas who was honored twice, and the MVP himself, Rolando Jesus Abad. Calizar and Serviño notably joined Abad in completing the Mythical Team of the coveted inter-collegiate tournament in Ormoc City.
Needless to say, chemistry is the team's winning formula, and Coach PJ Piamonte, the champion coach, can attest to that. He says that the biggest factor for their feat is their unmatched chemistry, and that is all thanks to their active participation in various inter-collegiate tournaments throughout the year. Playing against the best teams in the region boosted their morale and shaped their vision on the court.
Additionally, he says that the guys have consistently shown commitment to their thrice-a-week team training session, despite academic demands. Coach PJ credits the team's success to the hard work and dedication of his amazing role players: Calizar, Bandalan, Rebuyas, Moreno, Llanera, Pasohil, Managbanag, Bendijo, Gerona, Correa, Duquita, Ibañez, Mante, Abad, and Serviño, the cohesive 15-man unit that has taken pride in being a #ProudViscan.