Team Kenn, Talisay Sharks, University of St. La Salle Bacolod and Bacolod Tay Tung High School claimed the bracket championship in the United Negros Basketball League 2nd Chairman’s Cup in cooperation with Toyota Negros Occidental game played last Saturday at the Luis T. Ong Sports Pavilion.
Bacolod Tay Tung High School broke the 7-game winning streak and shattered the cloak of invincibility of the Colegio San Agustin Bacolod 62-58, in the 17-and-Under Category. BTTHS started the game on a 9-0 run, but CSA-B responded by unloading an 18-4 run, led by 2 triples from Richard Militante, and at the midpoint of the 2nd quarter, CSA-B was still in the driver’s seat, 25-21, on a Brent Magno triple.
BTTHS then blanked CSA-B in 11 minutes bridging the 2nd and 3rd quarter, detonating a 17-0 run led by Vince Hugo, Adrian Alagaban, and Justine Jalea to grab a 38-25 advantage. CSA-B finally broke their silence on a Vincent Destar layup at the 6:21 mark of the 3rd, starting a 17-7 closing quarter rally to keep the game close with a score of 45-42 going to the 4th quarter .
From then on, BTTHS never surrendered the lead, fending off several CSAB rallies. A last ditch attempt by CSA-B coming from back to back triples as from Magno in a span of 9 seconds to draw closer at 60-56 with 2:35 left in the game. However, CSA-B could not take advantage of the change in momentum as they only scored 2 points from Yso the rest of the way.
Alagaban had a game high 17 points, backstopped by Hugo – 16, Jalea and Alfred Ysulan – 7 each, and Cagayao – 5. On the other end, Magno paced CSA-B with 13, Militante – 9 Aldwin Yso – 8, Jayboy Tabontabon – 6, and Nathaniel Eriman – 5.
Meanwhile, USLS dominated Notre Dame from start to finish, fashioning out an emphatic 65-32 victory. USLS produced a defensive clinic, limiting Notre Dame to just 9 points until the 2-minute mark of the 2nd quarter, establishing a 39-16 advantage at the break. USLS then continued to slow down the Notre Dame offense in the 3rd quarter, allowing only a dismal 5 points to build a commanding lead of 55-21 as the game approached the final quarter.
USLS was led by Rojie Enderes – 14, Josiah Asis – 10, Jan Apoyon and Phillipe Sison – 8 apiece, Dominic Salem – 7, and Kian James Ramos – 6. Enrico Ong scored 8 points for Notre Dame, with teammates John Canillo and Kent Arresgado contributing 6 apiece.
Team Kenn outplayed University of St. La Salle 76-49 to remain the only unbeaten team in the tournament. Thirdy Docto unloaded 12 points to lead Team Kenn at halftime, which had a 34-22 lead. John Troy Newman scored 8 points for USLS in the 3rd canto as they drew closer at 40-38, with 4:04 left in the quarter.
Team Kenn however tightened their defense and responded with a dizzying 16-2 run to take a 56-40 lead with 7:22 remaining in the 4th quarter, where it continued to step on the gas to pull away for the dominant win.
Royal Star Trading player of the game Thirdy Docto led Team Kenn with 21 points, Kristian Melgar added 13, John Matavia – 10, John Sondia – 9, and playmaker Zaijan Sarmiento – 8. The troika of Gian Alexis Vasquez, Newman, and Leou Jaemiel Leonero supplied 10 markers each for USLS. and John Carl Lamonte added 7.
The Talisay Sharks dominated Bacolod Tay Tung High School in the last 7 minutes to hack out a 85-66 victory. BTTHS led during the 1st half 42-39, before Talisay Sharks grabbed the lead in the 3rd quarter 56-53. Back-to-back BTTHS baskets by Francis Lamasan tied the game at 59-all with 7:02 left in the game, but Talisay Sharks took advantage of the BTTHS turnovers and unleashed an offensive juggernaut engineered by the playmaking of Jerry Binguan to close out the game on a 26-7 run.
Jerry Binguan and Paul Barcelona spearheaded the Sharks offense with 17 points, Toby Orbista drilled 16, Ace Cortejo and John Gerardo – 10 each, Christian Aniban – 7, Klyde Dominic Malaga – 6, Lamasan – 21, Temmy Juanga – 10, Jameer Gapusan – 8, Jordan Taronas – 7, Kyle Pimental and Seth Guarino – 5 each.
UNBL partnered with Toyota Negros Occidental to stage the 2nd Chairman’s Cup. Chairman’s Cup Iloilo Commissioner Bayani RH Ladrido and Assistant Commissioner Stephen Lacuesta were present during the bracket championship. Ladrido is also the SBP Deputy Regional Director-Region 6 while Lacuesta is the SBP Reg. 6 Admin officer.*
