Brawl mars basketball game in Cagayan de Oro

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines  —Representing the City of Golden Friendship, local basketball players may have failed to show the popular trait that the Kagay-anons are known for. In fact, they may have been a bit unwelcoming in hosting the first ever international basketball tournament here after the pandemic.

First, the Cagayan de Oro Higalas manhandled the visiting Las Vegas team from the USA on Saturday morning's opener of the Sinag Liga Asya's Junior World Showcase in Mindanao before the home crowd at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) Gymnasium.

The host team's 47-point shellacking of the Las Vegas toddlers (91-44) in the 13-under tussle was followed by the CDO Higalas' 82-61 conquest of their 19 and below Familya DC counterparts from the US' capital of Washington DC.

Bankrolled by Mayor Rolando Uy and the city government of Cagayan de Oro, the CDO Higalas' 15-under squad also triumphed over the Middle East representative Last Shot Dubai, 82-78, in their Saturday noon bout held at the uptown Ateneo-Xavier University High School  gym.

Back to downtown's USTP gym in the afternoon's 21-under hostility, the local dribblers are poised to complete a rare sweep against the visitors when the Barangay Carmen Eco Warriors, the only home team to not don the Higalas jersey, outplayed the Cebuanos from RAD Cebu team of coach Jop Gallardo in the first half of the game.

Inspired by the presence of Barangay Carmen chairman Joaquin Rainier Uy, the Ronald Rey Biongcog-mentored Eco Warriors even padded the lead to nine when the Cebuanos hit back-to-back treys coupled by a fast break to tie the score midway and finished the pivotal third quarter by only a two-point deficit, 47-49.

However, momentum had slowly changed from thereon with the heftier Cebuanos dictating the tempo and taking the upper hand entering the fourth and final quarter.

With 5 seconds left in the game and RAD Cebu leading by two, 67-65, the home squad failed to score in its final play as the inbound play was contained by the visiting team, drawing an outright oncourt celebration, including a heckle by RAD guard Allen Angelo Alicando.

This apparently blew the top of Carmen’s Joshua John Joseph Sanoria who first threw the punch, thus igniting a free-for-all after the final buzzer had sounded.

"Part of the game. Pero sana kung obvious na ang panalo wala na  lang  kulitan para maiwasan ang gulo," said Rocky Chan, in a huddle with fellow tournament organizers and former PBA greats  EJ Feihl and Leo Isaac, after the shortlived brawl died down.

At least 36 teams, including 15 to 20 from across the globe and loaded with Fil-Am athletes, are competing in this fledgling league until July 11.

Established in August 2023, the youth-oriented tournament features at least three legs with the first one--the Luzon leg--being previously held in Pampanga, initially attracting 24 teams.

The Visayas leg, Sinag Liga's inaugural president Chan said, will take place soon in Cebu City.