ILOILO City – ILOPRISAA tertiary men’s basketball team took home the crown in 2023 Western Visayas Private School Athletics Association (WVPRISAA) Meet on Saturday at the University of San Agustin Gym here.
The ILOPRISAA earned the right to represent Western Visayas in the National PRISAA in Zamboanga City this July after scoring an 89-76 victory over NOPSSCEA in the gold medal game.
Leading the way for the ILOPRISAA crew were former UAAP high school players Kevin Barranco and Jesse Sullano along with Marvin Cuerbo, Elcyd Pascual and Wilmer Dalumpines.
ILOPRISAA, which is composed of players from Central Philippine University Golden Lions and Western Institute of Technology, were handled by head coach Warren Jalipa and assistant coach Miguel Sasuman.
The Golden Lions moved on to the WVPRISAA Meet as Iloilo’s representatives after capturing the ILOPRISAA tertiary men’s championship for the first time in 18 years after beating WIT last month.
ILOPRISAA also emerged as champions in the tertiary men’s football event after defeating the representatives from NOPSSCEA in the tightly-contested championship game.
The Golden Lions-backed ILOPRISAA were handled by head coach Mel Jordan, assistant coach Andre Eugenio Sumergido Lopez and goal keeper coach GP Bayona Seloterio.
“We are dedicating this championship to (the late CPU sports director) Edwin Caro Laru-an and Christopher ‘Boknoy’ Endencio,” said Jordan. “This victory and our National PRISAA stint are for them.”
The Golden Lions athletes also had their success in the secondary girls indoor basketball and secondary girls 3×3 basketball, men’s and women’s tertiary table tennis and men’s sepak takraw.
ILOPRISAA swimmers from CPU also earned their qualification to the National PRISAA along with the secondary and tertiary boys and girls karatedo players and men’s and women’s tennis squads./PN
