By Cesar Q. Quilenderino
JEDDAH — Team LB cruised to its second team victory in as many outings after overpowering Team SL in the ongoing ValenTennis-2017 being conducted by Samahang Pinoy Tennis Club (SPTC) at the Abdulaziz University sports complex here recently. The win gave Team Lover Boys the first slot of the tournament’s championship game following its first victory, 3-2, against Team HT and the luxury of waiting for the winner of the 3-way logjam among Team SL, Team CC and Team HT for their last elimination match and a possible 3-0 sweep of the 4-team round-robin knockout games of the tournament.
Playing under the Legend category, Team Sweet Lovers’ Ali Callanta-Ruben Alzate started the doubles match with fire, blasting off a barrage of pin-point passing and high-looping shots to sweep all their service games and allowing only the first and ninth games slip off for Team Lover Boy’s Bernie Soguilon-Yusuff Adriatico, and recorded an 8-2 victory — its first in the tournament.
But Team LB’s Nilo Borata-Norwin Catipay fought back in the second doubles, outlasting Team SL’s Moi Noto-Memed Darkum from 4-5 down to level at 5-5, then break through to 5-6 from the 11th game to level again at 6-6. Thereafter they took over the lead at 7-6 in the ensuing 13th game to finish off the match at 8-6. Team LB’s Leo Maranion-Sherwin Narvaiz stamped authority over their opponents, Mario Betorio-Robert Rayos, of Team SL, in the third set, chalking up an 8-4 victory to push their team into a 2-1 lead.
A bizarre game in the fourth set unexpectedly concluded in a dramatic turnaround when Julius Garcia a new club member, and Al Dapatuan, teamed up against Team SL’s Rolly Saldana-Hajji Pilongo that saw them survive a 1-5 threat to come out at 5-all, then storm ahead in the next three games to nail down an 8-5 win for LB. In the following fifth and last set of the match, Clark Maldo-Mashur Jamiri of Team LB bolstered their team’s cruise to victory by edging past their opponents JM Bravo-Ben Saladin, 8-6, to complete a 4-1 team win over Team SL.
This tournament is organized and managed by the new set of SPTC officers who have been elected by the club members to run their group business and achieve the objectives for the year 2017. The officers are: Ariel Domingo (chairman), Roy Timtiman (vice chairman for internal affairs), Mario Betorio (vice chairman for external affairs), Jun Tomas (vice chairman for membership development), Leo Milarion (secretary), JM Bravo (treasurer), Fernan Fermin (auditor), Mashur Jamiri (press relation director), Mark Banaag (business manager) and Waymor Carmelotes (tournament director).
The following shall officiate as technical committee arbiters during SPTC tournaments and games: Roman Alcantara (deputy director), Nasser Cayquep (deputy director), and committee members Zaldy Gabriel, Eman Usman, Yusuf Adriatico, Allan Mabini, Rolly Saldana, Nilo Gamba and Vic Rebong.
Honorary officers, having previously served as chairman and head of the club in separate tenures with dedication and proven integrity, are: Pol Fernandez, Gary Bautro, Marlon Pagsanjan, Ali Callanta, Cesar Pabico, Rading Bautista and Corly Obtinalla.
