CONFETTI are expected to come down at the Philippine Cultural College Main Gym in Manila on Thursday, Dec. 3, when the unbeaten Hope Christian High School takes on Saint Stephen’s High School in the finals of the 18th Metropolitan Amateur Sports Association (MASA) high school basketball tournament.
Game time is 1:00 p.m.
The Warriors own a twice-to-beat advantage against the Stephenians due to their immaculate 10-0 record during the double-round elimination phase of the six-school league that also featured Saint Jude Catholic School, Philippine Academy of Sakya, Philadelphia High School and host Philippine Cultural College.
HCHS, which seeks to succeed Chiang Kai Shek College as MASA Juniors titlist (the Blue Dragons were one of two ‘guest” teams in 2014 and opted not to participate this season), has been virtually invincible during the 2015 campaign.
Coach Jerson Cabiltes’ troops average 79.9 points per game and own a winning margin of 31.1 points in those 10 victories with a high of 50 (vs. Philippine Academy of Sakya, 93-43, second round) and a low of 16 (vs. Saint Jude Catholic School, 72-56, first round).
It’s the Warriors’ suffocating defense (48.8 ppg by the opposition) that actually fuels their fastbreak offense.
Moreover, the share-the-wealth philosophy on the offensive end has proved to be a huge factor – whether it be HCHS’ big men frolicking on the inside or its wing men hoisting three-pointers from anywhere on the floor.
Pick your poison: Five Warriors are norming at least 5.7 points per game.
They are Ryan Quiambao, 12.9 ppg (including three games with at least four triples); Mac Jacob, 12.5 ppg; 16-and-under National Team member Kris Harvey Pagsanjan, 11.2 ppg; John Sacundo, 9.7 ppg; Jonathan How, 5.9 ppg (including a tournament high-tying 30 markers vs. Philadelphia HS in the final game of the elimination phase); Charles Benoza, 5.8 ppg; and Carlo Carino, 5.7 ppg.
During the elimimination round, HCHS beat SSHS twice – 73-53 and 93-74.
Saint Stephen’s High School, the third seed, advanced to the finals with a stunning 53-51 upset of No. 2 seed Saint Jude Catholic School in a semifinal knockout duel at the PCC Main gym last Saturday.
The Stephenians had lost twice to the Judenites, 51-50 and 77-66, during the elims. But in the game that mattered most, it was SSHS that emerged victorious.
The boys of coach Jefferson Tee led from midway through the first quarter till the end to register a two-point win behind the heroics of Sean Ng, Franz Yap and Luigi Laroco.
Barring any monumental upset – the Stephenians beating the Warriors – a rubber match will be held on Saturday also at the PCC Main gym.