Tuesday, September 11, 2018

NCAA Record: NASHSPINNER Is 5-Time MVP, Benilde Hits 5-PEAT

The Season 94 Champions: 
DLS-CSB Men's Team.
L-R: Headcoach Rudolph Palermo, Coach Susan Tayag, Marty Del Rosario, Vince Sy, Joshua Padilla, Ryan Rodney A. Jacolo, Kanes Molde, & Lance Gregor A. Jacolo. Back row: DLS-CSB ManCom Raymond Castellano.
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NASHSPINNER is powered by
JOOLA Rosskopf Force Blade
and JOOLA Rhyzm Rubbers
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 Nashspinner: 5-Time NCAA MVP
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MANILA, PHI — The DLS-College of St. Benilde Blazers Men's Team,  with the 5-time Coach of the Year Rudolph Bong Palermo at the helm, is the NCAA Season 94 Table Tennis Champion (2018) for the 5th consecutive year.

NASHSPINNER sets an NCAA record by winning his 5th MVP Award powering the DLS-CSB Blazers to its historic 5-PEAT!

The Blazers were led by DLS-CSB officials Stephen Fernandez, Leonard Babiera, Raymond Castellano, and Dindo De Leon.

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The NCAA Table Tennis tournament format was patterned after the Swaythling Cup — Singles A vs X, B vs Y, Doubles, followed by 2 Crossover Singles in a race to 3 wins out of 5 possible matches.

The Finals
The Blazers overwhelmed the Knights, 3-1.

Match 1: NASHSPINNER (CSB) scored the first win in the first Singles Match beating the pimples player Pansacula (CSJL) 3 sets to 1.

Match 2: Letran's Manago took one back in the second Singles crushing Sy (CSB) in straight sets, 3-0. Team standing was even at 1-1.

Match 3: The Doubles match was the pivotal match whose outcome can very well dictate how the match will go. The Blazers Padilla & Del Rosario routed the Knights Lim & Obal 3-0, keeping the lead. Benilde was on the hill, 2-1. 

Match 4: The first Crossover Singles, NASHSPINNER (CSB) vs. Manago (CSJL). This was the Blazers' first of two chances to win. NASHSPINNER went for the kill, trouncing the Knight, 3-0,  for the championship... and the historic 5th MVP Award.

In a flash, the Blazers were thrashing on the floor in celebration.

The Semis
It was a tight squeeze through the San Beda Red Lions, 3-2. Vince Sy was the hero. 

Headcoach Bong Palermo, ever the superb tactician, made sure his 4-time MVP player, NASHSPINNER, plays the 4th slot of the 5-game contest — either to go for the kill when CSB gets on the hill first, or play fireman if the game goes south.

And south it went:

Match 1: NASHSPINNER (CSB) beat Palomares (SBC), 1-0. 

Match 2: Sy was run over by Bolante (SBC), 1-1. 

Match 3: Doubles, Blazers Padilla & Del Rosario got shot down by Pineda & Jurado, SBC up 1-2. 

Match 4: NASHSPINNER was supposed to put out the fire, but instead took a 0-2 beating from SBC's top player Bolante. Their crown hung by a thread. It looked grim for the Blazers. 

The defending champ virtually got back up from the grave, patiently clawed back point by point, set by set, until he overtook the Red Lion and won, 3-2, tying the team standings at 2-2. 

It was the day's biggest scare for the Blazers, but the game was on!

Match 5: The deciding 5th match was a do-or-die hair-raiser between Sy (CSB) and Palomares (SBC).  The protagonists were evenly matched in a seesaw battle and they were tied at 2-2. 

In the deciding game, the Blazer stared at a 3-7 deficit but proved he had a warrior's heart. He nailed the Red Lion to 7 points, streaked all the way to 11 giving his team the win and the first Finals slot.
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The NCAA Season 94 Table Tennis Championships was played at the multilevel EAC Sports Center from Sept. 1-10, 2018. The tournament was adeptly run by the Filipino ITTF International Umpire Sam Sacopla.


 Nashspinner & the JAX