Tiger Paddlers aiming for back-to-back championship
by Justin Robert Valencia
The University of Santo Tomas Tiger Paddlers set their sights on repeating as champions after sweeping last season’s men’s table tennis tournament.
Head coach Jackson Que, with the expectations high for the team to repeat, expressed what qualities the team have to remain as champions.
“Unang una, God. Without blessing ni God, wala lahat. Second, yung willingness natin na madefend yung crown, willingness na manalo. Yan yung nakikita ko sa team kaya I believe kaya natin,” he told TomasinoWeb.
Pressure is not in the vocabulary of Coach Que as he did not take pressure to repeat as champions but he took it as a challenge.
But with expectations high for them, Coach Que made a modest expectation of “top four” but insisted that the main goal is to defend the crown.
Even after the graduation of veterans Gil Ablanque, Alberto Bazar, and last season’s team captain and MVP Norielle Pantoja, mainstay Paul Que is ready to take the leadership as he was named the new team captain.
“Actually, nung start medyo nahirapan rin kami kasi tatlo yung nawala sa amin. Si Gil Ablanque, Norielle Pantoja, at Alberto Bazar. Buti na lang si Paul Que, nag decide na maglalaro pa rin siya, kasi graduate na siya so nag take siya ng master’s,” he added.
The team will also rely on new additions from team B who impressed Que as there are no rookies who made the cut.
“May mga dati tayong Team B na nag step-up ngayon. Si Chebuel Andaloc, Reymark Mabuang. Puro galing Team B, wala tayong rookies na pumasok eh.”
One of the veterans of the doubles event, Rian Maldia, was diagnosed with cancer in the lymphatic system.
“Thankfully, [pinayagagan] siya ng school at doctors niya na makapaglaro this season, pero depende pa rin sa health condition niya. Kung hindi kaya, we have to ask him to rest muna, medyo crucial sa atin yun,” Que exclaimed.
The squad is composed of team captain Paul Que, Chebuel Andaloc, Janssen Cruz, Reymark Mabuang, Rian Maldia, Chris Mendoza, Nico Nayre, Shen Tunay.
The Tiger Paddlers will start their campaign on tomorrow, September 23, at the University of the Philippines College of Human Kinetics in Quezon City.
