PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The Philippines whipped Indonesia, 11-5, Friday in men’s 3×3 basketball to jumpstart its campaign in the 12th ASEAN Para Games at Elephant Hall A of the Morodok Techo National Stadium.
Sweet-shooting Kenneth Tapia and bull strong Alfie Cabanos presided over the decisive run that shattered a 5-5 deadlock to carve out the win for the Vernon Perea-mentored dribblers, who are out to finally strike gold after a silver-medal effort in last year’s edition in Surakarta, Indonesia.
“So far, so good,” said Perea, whose other players were Clifford Trocino, JR Escalante and Rene Macabenguil.
The Filipinos were playing the host Cambodians, the Thais and the Malaysians at press time, hoping for a fantastic run for that elusive gold.
The chess team, headed by Surakarta Para Games quadruple gold winner Sander Severino, wades into battle starting at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Royal University in rapid chess.
The Filipino woodpushers accounted for 10 of the 28 mints snared last time and coach James Infiesto is optimistic of not just matching but surpassing that output this time around.
A ceremonial flag ceremony was held in Friday that was attended by heads of the National Paralympic Committees, chiefs of mission and some athletes from the 11 participating nations including Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo and PSC commissioner and CDM Walter Torres.
The weeklong event, however, will be officially ushered in Saturday with the Philippines fielding in a select group of 50 athletes and officials including flag-bearer Ariel Aligarbes of swimming.
Action will then intensify Sunday with most of the 12 disciplines calendared here including medal-rich
athletics and swimming unfurling mostly at the complex and a couple of venues just inside the Cambodian capital.
