Rey Suerte’s journey from playing sepak takraw to CESAFI MVP

Mars G. Alison

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Rey Suerte’s journey from playing sepak takraw to CESAFI MVP
Suerte goes from playing sepak takraw in grade school to becoming Most Valuable Player in a collegiate basketball league

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Not many basketball players bag the coveted Most Valuable Player award just in their second year of playing collegiate basketball.

But that’s just what Rey Anthony Suerte achieved on Saturday, October 22, when the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers won their 11th title in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Incorporated (CESAFI) basketball competition. 

Worth it tanan kahago ug mga sakripisyo unya maka proud sa kaugalingon (All the effort and sacrifices were worth it, it makes me proud),” UV’s guard said when asked how he felt about clinching the award in just his sophomore year in the CESAFI.

The collegiate title and the MVP honors were late birthday gifts for Suerte who turned 22 on October 4. 

But Suerte, who co-captains the Green Lancers with Josue “Toto” Segumpan, said he hadn’t even been aiming for the award.

Wa ko mag expect anang mga ing-ana. Bahalag kinsay ma MVP dira basta ang title kay amoa (I don’t expect those things. Anyone can be MVP as long as the title will be ours).”

This is the second time this year that Suerte was chosen as the MVP. He also bagged the same award during the CESAFI pre-season tournament – the 8th CESAFI Partner’s Cup last June.

“I am very thankful and blessed because we won the championship and the MVP award is just a bonus thing to me,” said Suerte, who hails from Monkayo, Compostela Valley.

The feat is commendable especially since basketball is not Suerte’s first sport. He only started playing when he was 14 years old.

Having played no sport in his elementary years, Suerte started out as a sepak takraw player from his first year in high school to third year before he made the switch to basketball. 

Popular sport man gud ang basketball and daghan sad nag ingon na taas daw advantage nako kay taas-taas daw ko, talagsaon raman gud tall guys sa probinsya baya (Basketball is a popular sport and many told me that I have a big advantage in the sport because I am a bit tall. Tall guys are rare in the province).”

Suerte stands 6’2″.

He studied at Casa Amazing Grace School for elementary and then moved on to Monkayo National High School. The secondary school didn’t have an official varsity basketball team, but they were able to compete in the provincial meet.

After high school, Suerte studied at the University of Mindanao (UM) in Davao where he also played ball alongside another CESAFI player, University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors team captain Victor Emmanuel Rabat. 

It was while playing for UM that he got scouted by former UV head coach Donbel Belano in 2013.

Belano, who used to play for the MBA then later the PBA, brought Suerte to UV, where he decided to study human resource and development management. Also in 2013, Suerte made it to the Green Lancers’ team B.

The college scholarship is a blessing for Suerte, the second of two siblings. Though his family has experienced hardships, the student-athlete said he is proud of his parents for being able to send his older sister to college.

Proud kaayo ko sa ilaha kay naka graduate akong maguwang tungod sa ilang pagpaningkamot na maka kwarta everyday bisan pa tuod sa ana lang nga panginabuhi (I am proud of them because my sister graduated through their hard work),” he said.

Suerte, whose last name means “luck” in the Visayan language, has 3 more years with UV and the CESAFI.

Although he has already bagged the coveted MVP award and helped UV clinch its 11th title, Suerte pledged to do more for the Green Lancers.

Mas more pa nako na tabangan ang Green Lancers kutob sa akong makaya, unta maka hatag pako ug glory sa amoang skwelahan through sa akoang/amoang pagpaningkamot (I will do everything in my power to further help the Green Lancers. I hope I can give more glory to our school through my and my teammates’ efforts).”

After college and the CESAFI, Suerte said he would want to continue playing basketball.

Like most cagers, he hopes to make it to the PBA someday. “Mao man jud nay pangandoy sa mga manduwaay ug basketball na maka abot dira (That’s the dream of every basketball player, to reach that level.”

Suerte looks up to the NBA’s Carmelo Anthony because he can be an all-around player and PJ Simon in the PBA because of his streetball playing style. 

As for those aspiring to become basketball players, Suerte has this advice: “Ako lang advise sa ilaha na practice lang jud, sacrifice lang aron ma reach nila ilang dream. Kung ug di na sila kadagan, lakaw. Ug dili na sila ka lakaw, kamang. As long as they’re keeping forward. (My advice is for them to keep practicing, to sacrifice just so they can reach their dream. If they can no longer run, then they should walk, if they can no longer walk, then they should crawl).” – Rappler.com

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