TAGIS LAKAS 2007-08: CET STUNS RECORDS PAST CBEA

The College of Engineering and Technology’s championship on Men’s Basketball tournament in the Tagis Lakas 2008 is not just another story but definitely a history.CET snatched their first championship crown demolishing the defending champion College of Business Education and Administration, 65-62, during their heart-stopping last March 7 at the NEU Gymnasium.

The match started with furious attacks from both teams until CET finally draw the first blood stirring equally tempered CBEA for an immediate return.Skippered by hardcourt veterans Ramel Pepito and Herbert Villados, the green ward stunned the red squad with stiff defenses and by the dexterous steals of rookie Henry Maestrado nearly sagging CET’s spirit with a single bulk on the remaining seconds of the final quarter.

But CET’s ace gunner Angelmar Maglalang, complemented by the perimeter shooting of Alvin Gajero and Rigulus Valledor plus the surprising tactics of another rookie Symon Santos, touted the troop to create a see-saw cushion in the leaderboard.Temperatures heated up bringing the crowd on their feet as unheralded Wilfred dela Rosa hauled two more baskets inverting the phase from 61-62 to 63-62 in favor of the CET.

CBEA could have recovered but their rash attacks charged them with penalties giving CET the opportunity to stretch their lead. With two technical freebies, Maglalang, who paced the red team, put the finishing touches on CET’s triumph and was conferred with the Most Valuable Player plum.CET’s conquest, however was hard earned.They had suffered an agonizing defeat from their first encounter with CBEA, 71-65, on March 5.

The opportunity to get a sweet vengeance from CBEA almost slipped away during the crossover match with the 2005 Titlist College of Evangelical Ministry on March 6.Down by eight on the last five minutes of the fourth quarter, CET had to streamline their assaults and change their defense stratagem to break the pressure imposed by the big men of CEM.“From 2-3, nagpalit kami ng defense to 1-2-2, at nagwork naman…” said CET head coach Quirino Abalos.

Abalos and CET juniors’ head coach Christian Domingo are the brains behind CET’s invasion of the Tagis Lakas basketball tournaments.These two Hunters proved their worth not only as players but also as coaches bringing CET to dominance on the two basketball divisions.

With the CET juniors’ team at hand, Domingo noted that, “Hindi kami confident nung una, pero nang makapasok na sa championship, sabi namin sa team, atin na ‘to…”.CET crushed the pride of the High School department during the finale of the juniors’ held weeks before the opening of the Tagis Lakas Season and tagged their names to the NEU history reigning the first men’s basketball tournament Juniors’ division which was initiated this season in preparation for the next National Athletics Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NAASCU) meeting.

As for the next Tagis Lakas, Abalos reiterated that CET would be a stronger team to deal with. “Well prepared na kami, mas malakas, pero hindi yung overconfident…maghahanda kami kasi mataas ang expectation sa champion…”With a fuming rage from the CBEA, a dangerous comeback of CEM and a powerhouse CET, the next season of Tagis Lakas implicates more revelations to wait for.