STREET SPORTS: Super Events in the Super City
Mayor Albee Benitez has this vision of making Bacolod City into a Super City, similar in nature to the cities of Davao and Cebu. You see, superstores like Landers and S&R, high-rise buildings, and condominiums being constructed all around Bacolod.
Our mayor has also included in his vision bringing high-profile sports events in our city. One of which is the PBA-All Star Weekend slated on March 23 and 24. On March 23, we’ve got the skills challenge and the PBA greats vs PBA stalwarts match-up. March 24 is the main event, the PBA All-Star Game featuring Team Japeth Agular vs Team Mark Barroca with a shooting stars and dance showdown happening before the event Bacolod fans will be in for a treat and get to see at affordable prices their favorite PBA superstars visit the city once again, showing their basketball skills and shooting prowess at the Saint La Salle Coliseum in this city.
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On May 2 to 7, the WVRAA (Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association) or more popularly known as the Western Visayas regional meet will be held in various venues in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental. Fans will get to see the top athletes of the region in the elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels to compete in various sports events. Team sports that will be played during the regional meet are basketball, volleyball, futsal, football, sepak takraw baseball, and softball. Events like track and field, swimming, and tennis will also be held. The 2024 WVRAA meet will follow a health protocol not to allow outdoor games between 10AM to 3PM to avoid the extreme summer heat.
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Women’s volleyball is getting to be a popular event in our country and the 2024 UAAP Women’s volleyball tournament is one of the most keenly anticipated by fans. After the first round of matches has concluded, we have the surprising University of Santo Tomas on top of the leaderboard with a 7-0 win-loss slate. The Lady Tigresses, led by spikers Regina Jurado and super rookie Angeline Poyos, setter Cassie Carballo, and libero Detdet Pepito, continue to lord it over the rest of the field as they try to chase their first title in 14 years. Defending champion De La Salle University (DLSU)Lady Spikers are in second place with a 6-1 record, with their championship core of star spikers reigning MVP Angel Canino. Alleiah Malaluan and top middle blockers Amie Provido and Thea Gagate, as well as setter Julia Coronel leading the charge, as they try to win back-to-back titles 2022 champion National University are in third place with a 5-2 record, have most of their core still intact as they try to regain the title they lost to DLSU. They still have their championship core intact with star spikers and 2022 MVP Bella Bellen and Vangie Alinsug, middle blockers Alyssa Solomon and Erin Pangilinan, and setter Camille Lamina in the fold. Its looking like a 3-way battle at the top with darkhouse FEU Lady Tamaraws led by spikers Chenie Tagaod and Gerzel Petallo, setter Tin Uvaldo, and middle blocker Falda Bakanke, at fourth with a 4-3 record looking to challenge the contenders. One disappointing team of the 2024 UAAP tournament are erstwhile powerhouse Ateneo Blue Eagles, losing most of its star players to the pros, currently in 5th with a 2-5 record, even losing to perennial doormat University of the East. So let’s brace ourselves for the second round and the playoffs of the exciting 2024 UAAP women’s volleyball action.
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The 2024 NBA season is about to reach the conclusion of the regular season. So far in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics led by All-stars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Drue Holiday are lording it over the rest of the field with a 9 and a half game lead over the second placer Milwaukee Bucks with about a month left in the regular season. It remains to be seen though how they will do in the playoffs as analysts say they do have a lean bench with some inexperienced players. In my opinion with the firepower of their starting 5, 1 think they should really win it this year. If they don’t win it, I think this core that they have may not win it at all and trades will be made. The Milwaukee Bucks hired Doc Rivers in the middle of the season to coach superstars Giannis Antetokounpo and Damian Lillard but they have a below.500 record so far with him as the head coach. But when it comes to the playoffs, I see them having more experience than the Celtics, with the likes of Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis coming off the bench and that experience may just be the deciding factor on who advances from the East. The 2023 finalist Miami Heat, although in the lower part of the standings, may just be ripe for another playoff run and again upset higher ranked teams, with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and super rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr, leading the charge and they in fact have a deep bench with veterans Kevin Love, Duncan Robinson, and Terry Rozier coming off it.. The rest of the teams in my opinion like the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks just don’t have the firepower to match up with the Celtics and Bucks. The Philadelphia 76ers could have been a team that could match up with the Bucks and Celtics but a knee injury to star center Joel Embiid may have just killed their momentum for a championship run. I will be taking a look at the Western Conference in my next column.*
Pio Alessandro S. Ozoa is a graduate of BS Computer Science at USLS. A big fan of sports, especially basketball. A late bloomer when it comes to playing the game, he watches sports often on livestream often as a deviation from the stress of everyday life.
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