What started out as a simple pick-up game — a fellowship and a thanksgiving from Melmac Sports — blossomed into a vision.
Tuesday evening, the hard courts of Gold’s Gym Sheridan turned into a four-hour cagefest, hosing the first edition of Melmac Sports Legends Cup that featured 13 teams representing Chooks-to-Go, SMART, TV5, Titan, ABS-CBN Sports and Action, SBP, and Gold’s Gym.
“We just wanted to set-up a simple gathering with the employees of Bounty Agro Ventures [parent company of Chooks-to-Go], just a simple bonding experience with the other companies that Melmac Sports is serving,” owner of Melmac Sports Mel Macasaquit said.
“But if there’s one thing that can unite us all, it’s basketball.”
For four fun-filled hours, the team’s competed in an intense knockout tournament that was graced by Bounty Agro President Ronald Mascarinas, Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin, and former UP Fighting Maroon Jett Manuel. Moreover, in the interest of fairness, the SBP also lent FIBA-accredited referees to serve as officials for the game.
After the dust had settled, the staff of the UP Fighting Maroons, led by UP assistant coach Mo Gingerich, bested the staff of Melmac Sports to be crowned as the first-ever recipient of the Legends Cup while Gold’s Gym took home bronze.
“In just three days, we came up together with Chooks to Go and Smart with a one-night tournament,” Macasaquit reflected.
“Everybody took the game seriously which we expected. As physical as it got, sportsmanship was still present as Mr. Mascariñas reminded everyone to play the game with intensity but still keep the spirit of fair play in play.”
Seeing the passion and intensity displayed by the employees of Bounty Agro, it inspired Mascariñas to reach for the ultimate dream of every Filipino entrepreneur: to own a PBA franchise.
“It is no surprise that all our staff here and abroad are passionate about basketball. That is why this small event ignited the idea of us starting owning a PBA team,” Mascariñas shared.
“We understand that it might be a long process but it starts with a dream. For now, I’m just glad that everybody had fun playing tonight.”
As they say, when you dream big, you have to smart small. And then you have to act on achieving it.
