The Year-End Jam, the third and final leg of the year-round basketball tournament of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) in partnership with Innodata, recently fired off at the Innodata Multi-Purpose Gym in Mandaue City.
Games for the tournament are played every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday and the event will run until December.
A total of 16 teams grouped under two brackets are seeing action in the tournament, whose goal is to raise funds to support the “Read to Lead” literacy program of JCI. This project aims to develop the reading skills and habits of elementary school children.
The participating teams represent different companies and organizations.
Grouped under bracket A are Innodata, Metaphil, Frontiers, Parklane, Dream Team, Virginia Foods, IComm, and Demolay/Mabuhigh.
Playing under bracket B are Team SG, Direct Global, Princess, Empi Kings, LM Paragsa, Gio Homes, Southside and Arcillans.
The participants were welcomed by Ryan Expeditus Andales, JCI president and game consultant while Kristofer Canono, JCI international affairs commissioner, led the recitation of the oath of sportsmanship.
Vincent Joel Gagno, Innodata sports manager, and McNey Bequilla, JCI tournament project chairman did the inaugural jump ball.
Innodata defeated Metaphil in the opening game, 84-61, while SG Arch Builders topped Direct Global, 78-69, in the second game.
Gagno said that he is happy to see a good response to the invitation to play in the event and also extended his gratitude to the support given by Innodata as well as Ajay Bhatia, Imay Villa, and their HR department.
