ALZA Alayon Zamboanga del Sur will lean on its backcourt heading into the Mindanao leg of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup.
Zamboanga Del Sur tapped veterans Eloi Poligrates and Dan Sara while surrounding them with role players for the upcoming tournament.
“We expect Eloi and Dan to lead our team in the VisMin Super Cup,” Alayon Zamboanga del Sur head coach Rodolfo Abad Jr. told a recent press conference.
Poligrates, 33, is a 6-foot super scorer who has played in almost every league in the country. A native of Poro, Cebu, signed with Rizal last year for the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Mumbaki Cup.
Sara, on the other hand, is a heady 5-foot-7 floor general who previously played for Batangas-Tanduay in the MPBL Lakan Cup.
Also set to give Alayon some veteran presence are former San Juan big man Jeff Tajonera and ex-Nueva Ecija gunner Adrian Celada.
Completing the squad are Eric Bangcoyan, Russel Moneva, Shawn Labisores, Orly Biwang, Charles Pepito, Mario Junio, Garexx Puerto, Levert Lintayan, Daryl Cruz, Vanrolph Amoquis, Kenith Dela Cruz, Ruben Caritan, Archie Cabrilla, Hans Sison, JR Raflores, John Calvin Jabello, Klent Singedas and Constacio Lumingkit.
Jimelito Babor will be the team’s consultant while Manuel Babor, James Babor, Jason Marcaban and Aldrin Manuel make up the coaching staff.
Gov. Victor Yu believes that Zamboanga del Sur has what it takes to rule the Mindanao leg.
“We plan on winning the championship while also inspiring the youth to enter sports,” Yu said. “We can’t wait for the competition to start and showcase what Mindanao basketball is all about.”
Team owner Rep. Divina Yu, on the other hand, said that she trusts the league in putting up another safe bubble as it did in Alcantara, Cebu, for the Visayas leg.
“We believe that VisMin Super Cup will ensure the safety of our players in their bubble,” she said.