Game Two and, if necessary, Game Three of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup pitting Zamboanga Sibugay Amin Mindanao and BYB Kapatagan was postponed due to the devastating hit of Typhoon Odette in the region.
Supposed to take place on December 16, Game Two was moved to 10:00AM the next day. And if the Buffalos were able to extend the series, Game Three was to be played on the same day at 6:30PM.
But even Game Two was moved to 3:00PM on December 17.
Before the game, Zamboanga Sibugay head coach Arnold Oliveros and Kapatagan head coach Jaime Rivera made a deal — whoever wins will donate a portion of the P500,000 pot to the losing team.
“Nagkaroon kami ng usapan kasi yung championships namin, bumagyo,” shared Oliveros, who is an assistant coach of Basilan chief tactician Jerson Cabiltes in the 2021 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Invitational. “Madaming affected hindi lang sa Kapatagan pati sa players namin. Nagkaroon kami ng usapan na kung sino mag-champion, puwede mag-share ng premyo.
“We have to share yung blessings namin especially sa mga players.”
Behind the heroics of Jaybie Mantilla and Jan Jamon, Zamboanga Sibugay took the crown, winning 89-80 in overtime.
And as promised, Oliveros and the Warriors gave P100,000 to the Buffalos to raise the latter’s take home to P200,000.
Triple Crown
Oliveros is just grateful to have had the opportunity to carve a name for himself over the past year.
Just like Cabiltes, Oliveros is a triple crown winner. Together they won both the inaugural VisMin and MPBL crowns.
Though not part of the team that won FilBasket, Oliveros took down the VisMin challenge to have his own triple crown.
And for that, he is forever thankful to Cabiltes.
“Nag-start kami nung VisMin, assistant ako dun. Then yung second, nagkaroon ng opportunity ulit to head coach kaya nagpaalam ako kay Coach Jerson,” he said. “Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Coach kung papayagan mo ko, kunin ko ‘to.’ Pumayag naman siya basta mag-champion ka diyan. May pressure kagad! Pero tinulangan naman niya ko maghanap ng players na fit sa system.
“As mentor ko, malaking bagay sa akin ito. Fortunately, nakuha namin yung championship.”
