This is one big loss

I posted about Kua Leo's being hospitalized.  Kuay Leo is Ate Coring's hubby and father of their two daughters, Ana Lea (now working) and May (graduating this school year at SBC taking up Education).  I have also posted the two losses we incurred in our current league, the NBTC Developmental League.

Now I share with you  this ONE BIG LOSS that I and my family suffered last Wednesday, November 19.  It was also the birthday of my nephew Lawrence Elvena,  the youngest of Ermie (my sister who comes after me).

Ate Coring joined the band of widows in our family (Inay, Ermie and now Ate Coring).  Kuya Leo finally gave up his ghost to the Lord due to the Big C.  We will miss Kuya Leo who was a big part of the fun that is our family, especially during the monthly gathering, many of which happened in their house at Bukal, Manghinao, Batangas.

We are gladdened by the thought that he passed to the Lord after receiving the last sacraments at the ICU of St. Patrick's Hospital.  I know because I was the priest who annointed him with the oil for the sick.  When I saw that he no longer had an reaction,  I said, "this is it!  Time for reckoning for Kuya!"  Unconscious,  I left it to the hands of God!  That was Tuesday afternoon.  It came to me as no surprise to hear Ate Coring's voice over her mobile, "Your Kuya Leo has gone!"

I'd like to thank all who have been part of Kuya Leo's battle with the Big C,  which he rather foolishly  tried to ignore.  Thanks to Dra. Lou Ocampo for the Oriental medicine that extended Kuya Leo's life beyond what his doctors at Bauan Doctors Hospital had given him -- the four month deadline was extended beyond a year of seeming good health,  which had also lulled him into that notion that hence everything is alright with him.  

Thanks to his doctor at the Bauan Doctors who had been patient with our impatient patient (that's what it had ben for Kuya and his doctors), especially Dr. Villena.  We thank Jojo,  Erick's friend, for his availability in case Erick could not attend to his uncle-ninong.  We thank Dr. Moy Rosales,  who despite being sickly himself,  went to Golden Gate Hospital to attend to him for a second opinion.  Unfortunately,  he had to be transfered to St. Patrick's because that was where they had a dialysis machine.

Lastly, we thank God for His guidance and mercy!  

Two losses

It's a bitter to swallow but we have to accept the fact were beaten in the last two games of our NBTC D-League, held at San Beda Alabang last Sunday, Nov. 9.  

First,  the games were supposed to be played on Saturday, Nov. 8 (as announced by the league officials:  playdays are Saturdays).  When they announced the sudden transfer,  I knew it was coming.  I CANNOT coach the team, since I still have to attend to the Masses for the people entrusted to me.  That is my first priority on a Sunday, not basketball!

I already had to miss supervising the practices last Tuesday and Thursday (Nov. 4 & 6), as I was in Baguio attending the Social Action Assembly.  I was instructed by the Archbishop to attend this as the assembly would tackle good governance as one of its main subjects.  (I was given the mandate to plan for the formal launching of our "Task Force on Good Governance" in the Archdiocese/Province under the aegis of the Lipa Metropolitan Province chapter of the Bishop-Businessmen's Conference for Human Development.

Good that Laguna had only 20+ (21) point advantage over us.  They beat Lucena by 33 and Cavite by 66 during the opening.  This Laguna team which has 10 players from San Beda  Alabang.  they only had 12 players.  The last time around they played with only 13 players.  Gee, I smell something fishy here as each team has to have 15 players to play during one game and 18 players in the roster.  Of course,  there is a proviso that a team member can only play 2 full quarters.  But we were made to understand that 15 players (5 per quarter) is the normal procedure.  I had to bring this matter to the attention of Eric Altamirano.  Otherwise the good intention of the Developmental League would be defeated.  It would be winning as the goal and not teaching proper fundamentals to the kids.  

Then,  during the opening we were made to play our next game 25 minutes after we finished our game against Cavite.  Lucena had a good two hour rest when they played against us.  The understanding is that we would have been given one-hour rest.

This time,  the organizers were the ones who insisted that Lucena be given the one-hour break.  Fortunately for them,  the last game ended early and they had more than one-hour rest. Goodness, ang babait ng mga taga-Batangas!  Pumayag na rin.

We lost to Lucena.  I wasn't around (as I had to go back. See story below).  I was told that the referees did us in.  It was a close game daw!  We lost to them by 22 during the opening.  I was told that we lost, because of bad officiating at the closing minutes of the game, by less than 10 points.  

What is important is that we are following the guidelines and the modules of NBTC.  What is important is that the kids are learning to play with the correct fundamentals.  What is important is that we are molding the team from different schools, coming together only last October and made to play together as a team in a league which stated October 25, become a team of hard-working players.  

 

Kuya Leo hospitalized

November 10,2008 -- Kuya Leo, husband of Ate Coring, was rushed to Bauan Doctors' Hospital yesterday morning after severe vomiting.  Ate called up Eric, George and Didi who rushed him to the hospital, where he was confined and given oxygen as he was gasping for air.  Soon he was given intra-veneous liquid to prevent dehydration.

I received the text message from Ermie sometime 10:30 am.  I was already on my way to San Beda Alabang to catch up with the BMeg - Batangas City team,  which was scheduled to play two games that day.  I have already missed the first as I still had to say the Sunday Mass for the people of Villa San Jose.  I had just passed Brent School in Mamplasan, Binan when I got the text message. 

I stopped over at the Shell station to take my brunch (had no breakfast yet and it was nearing lunch time).  I told Ermie that I'd just take a bite and find an exit way back to Batangas.  I did at the Carmona exit.  By 12:30 pm,  I was at Bauan Doctors.  

Kuya Leo was in his elements, though he was hard of hearing already.  He was spirited in narrating what happened to him (as he remembered the events,  which for the most part was correct in their sequence).  Present when I arrived were his two daughters, Ana and May,  cousin Flor (daughter of Tio Efren and Tia Soledad) and Minda (Kuya's only sister).

The doctor came and told him his suggestion:  CT scan and depending on what it reveals the necessary processes -- if early stage, surgery;  if already late, then chemo/dialysis!  I told Kuya it's his call.  He had to put his life in the hands of God's instruments -- the doctors and the nurses, inlcuding Eric,  who was already complaining of the his ninong's obstinacy.  

Let's see what will come out of this!

  

Fresh Sports Commitments

I'm presently pre-occupied with this team of 18 kids, aged 14-16, presently competing at the National Basketball Traning Center-Developmental League. I was chosen as the Head Coach of the Purefoods BMeg-owned team, which represents Batangas City in the four-team South Luzon leg of this Samahan ng Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SPB)-sanctioned tournament. The Aim is to find talents for future national youth teams.

We practice three times a week, after classes.  We follow modules provided by the National Director of NBTC, Coach Eric Altamirano and National Training Director, Alex Compton.  Together with my two assistant coaches, EN Aguba (of University of Batangas) and Onin Agoncillo (of De La Salle Lipa), we attended a coaches' workshop held at the ULTRA just before the official practices began.  Official practices began on October 1.  The first game was October 25, after a colorful opening at the ULTRA.

The team is composed of 6 players from the University of Batangas, 4 players from De La Salle Lipa, 3 players from Marian Learning Center and Science High School, 2 from St. Bridget College (High School Department), 2 from Batangas State University (High School department)and 1 from Sta. Teresa College (Bauan).   We concentrate on teaching the fundamentals.  One hour per practice is devoted to individual skills.  The idea is not so much in winning games but how to play the game with correct fundamentals.  

As of this date,  we are 1-1;  We played marvelously against Cavite which boasts of 4 players at 6'8".  However, we were made to play twenty minutes after our win against a well-rested Lucena team, which clobbered us by 22 points.  We were in the game only during the first quarter.  The boys simply could not keep up with the taller and well-rested opponents.  The way I looked at it,  we are the shortest team.  Our tallest is only 6'1.5".  Laguna has more experienced players, heavy and tall, with three above 6'4".  Lucena has at least 2 6'5" players.  We'll see how we managed.  

The boys are enjoying the learning experience!