IT’S a morale-boosting feat for the oldest team in the league to strongly challenge for this season’s crown of the prestigious Xavier University High School (XUHS) Alumni Basketball League the XU’s uptown gym is hosting every weekend in Cagayan de Oro City.
With gentle center Erwin Raagas coming up with 27 points and shooting guard Charome Marte unloading 31 markers in their last two outings, the Team X-United completed a back-to-back triumphs en route to a dominant 7-1 win-loss record.
Against Pacio Valencia and Batch 923, the united veterans battled back from 12-point deficit in the last four minutes to escape with a four-point thriller.
Facing Batch 96 led by Elich Alfante, the XU United from Batch 1979 to 1990 squandered a 15-point lead but woke up in time to salvage another nightmarish 98-96 escape.
“We’re the oldest but still fighting. Sakit kaayo hawak mobantay sa high-scoring nga batan-on like Pacio Valencia. Ampo lang gyod amo saligan,” Reynand Fuentes told Gold Star Daily.
Whatever the odds is, grizzled big man Noknok San Jose is confident that Season 12 will be the united veterans' turn to shine.
“The other key players like Peñaflor, JoAcs (Acenas) and Bingbong Padilla are getting better every game, ni-improve na ang distribution sa bola. Naa gyod koy gut feeling nga amo ni karon nga season,” San Jose said.
