AFTER five  years  of  absence, the World Citi Colleges Vikings  celebrated  their return  to local collegiate basketball  with a bang.

WCC,  one of the leading teams  in the   now-defunct Colleges and Universities  Sports Association,   defeated St. Paul College-Quezon City, 95-83, in  the  St. Paul Cup Invitational  basketball  tournament held at the St. Paul gym in Quezon City.

Now handled  by  Jhune Golosinda and managed by Jun Evangelista, the Vikings leaned on  Larry Rivera, Raymund Alvarado, Jonathan Ibarra, Paul Bordador and Mac Avellana in beating the hard-fighting Pumas in this short, six-team invitational tournament hosted by St. Paul University.

“We’re  back  and we’re  ready to compete again,"  said World Citi  president Arlyn Grace V. Guico,

“With our new team, coaching staff, and   the full support of the school and  alumni, we   hope to return  the basketball  spirits in the school community.”

Guico  praised  Evangelista for  his   all-out  support to the Vikings.

Evangelista and his non- governmental  organization ANI Kalikasan  has   agreed to support the  team’s  campaigns   in different  tournaments.

Golosinda and Evangelista are being  assisted by  John Olinad Bernales, Erick Clemente and WCC  athletic director Andy Piel.

Rivera, who later named Most Valuable Player,  topscored with 20 points for the  Vikings, who also get solid   support   from 6-4 Fil-Am  Will Porter, Ilford Harris and  James Evangelista.

Other team members are  Harvey Cleofe, Kim Ballabo, Joshua Bacabac, Michael Tamba, Norman Rasca, Patrick Pestano, and Paul Arevallo.