By: Ohmer Bautista
Usually, a battle in the NCAA is decided on the basketball court. However, with thunder clouds looming on the horizon and a downpour enough to cause flooding, the battle for College of Saint Benidle Blazers started before they even stepped foot on the hardwood.
After putting up an impressive performance against Mapua University Cardinals to chalk a win under their name, Blazers head coach TY Tang confessed that his stalwarts had almost failed to arrive for today’s game due to extreme weather conditions.
“About nine thirty, I got some calls about these guys not being able to get out of the dorm,” the second-year Blazer head coach TY Tang shared. “I think it was pouring in Taft. The flood over there, they just couldn’t get out.
“That’s how our day started.”
On the other hand, Yankie Haruna shared his side of the story, as he was a part of the group that got stuck inside their hotel along Taft.
“It was seven in the dorm. Every time it rains, it gets flooded usually. It was full of flood, it was knee level,” Haruna said. “We had a coaster but they couldn’t pick us up.
“So, we had no choice, we had to take a pedicab.
“The wave hit us and I started cussing out. You know in the Philippines, when it rains everything is slow… Luckily we made it on time,” he added.
Despite arriving before the game, coach Tang cited that after surviving the heavy rain, the next obstacle that they had to surpass was the grumbling of his players’ stomachs, as the rain had deprived them of the chance to eat breakfast.
“They didn’t have breakfast up until eleven ‘o clock over here,” the young strategist shared.
Nonetheless, his cagers were able to deliver a superb performance, routing Mapua 90-79. Now, the only battle left for today, according to Haruna – who finished the game with 19 points – is figuring out where he will find a change of clothes after the game.
“We were wet, too. Now, I don’t got clothes on. You gonna see me with a white [jersey shorts] and my sweater, that’s it.”
