USA Golden Eagles grab SBP Visayas championship
The Golden Eagles of the University of San Agustin won the regional championship of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) National Junior Championships 2009 held in Cebu City on 27-30 November.
SBP is the national sports association for basketball in the country. It aims to promote basketball development at the grassroots level, specifically focusing on various age-level competitions. It conducts the annual National Junior Basketball Competition. The competition has two levels, the under-17 and under-19 categories.
The Golden Eagles won the Visayas Championship for the under-19 category, after it defeated the top 2 teams from Region 7, namely, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJR) and the University of the Visayas (UV)—the current CESAFI champion. It convincingly won the intense and highly physical game by 12 and 21 points over USJR and UV, respectively. The Golden Eagles will represent the Visayas Region in the national championship slated on 14-21 December in Cebu City.
The team is composed of the following: Ryan Albay, Charles Aquino, Demetrio Casumpang II, Bryan Griño, Gian Carlo Jumilla, Russell Donovan Pe, Chino Tajanan (team captain), Rez Austin Villanueva, Raynelle Villorente, and Vince Zafe (co-captain) from the college level. They were joined by Rio Ballentes, John Aron Comoda, Jake Garrido, Clinton Gerardino, and Fredson Hermonio, all from the High School Department. The team is coached by Rodolfo Betito, Jr., assisted by Fr. Generous Gonesto, OS.A., and Carlos Mamon. Fr. Gonesto is the Sports Director of the University. Betito and Mamon are members of the University faculty.
This championship is historic for it was won on the opponent’s homecourt, and only on the Golden Eagles’ initial participation in the SBP National Junior Tournament.
