Uno cagebelles win

GIRLS just wanna have fun.
And along the way, the Uno High School women’s basketball team has won back-to-back Philippine Ching Yuen Athletic Association (PCYAA) championships with an unblemished win-loss record each time.
Last Tuesday (December 1), the top-seeded Uno belles scored a stunning 52-51 victory over second-ranked Jubilee Christian Academy in the Ladies Division finals at the Uno High School gym in Tondo, Manila.
The win capped an 11-0 finish by the Lady Uneans for a second straight season in the tournament that also featured Grace Christian College, Immaculate Conception Academy, Saint Jude Catholic School and PCYAA season host Philippine Cultural College.
The Uneans had swept the double-round elimination phase and entered the finals with a twice-to-beat advantage.
In 2014, then-host Uno crushed Saint Jude Catholic School, 81-22, on Valentine’s Day in the PCYAA Ladies finals to complete an immaculate 11-0 campaign.
Unlike before, the Lady Uneans this time had to scramble for the hard-earned title repeat as Jubilee Christian Academy gave them a run for their money.
Uno trailed for much of the game. A floater by Michaella Angelica Co with 43 seconds remaining pushed the Uneans ahead. Teammate Gelsey Nikka Taguibao knocked in the first of her two free throw attempts with five ticks left for a 52-51 advantage before misfiring on her second that JCA rebounded for another crack at the basket on it offense.
Uno, though, had one foul to give at the time and utilized it with 2.3 seconds left in the game clock. The Jubilee belles then made a last-ditch attempt at victory but were unsuccessful in their field try.
That pushed the Uno ladies’ record to a lily-white 22-0 record over two PCYAA seasons under head coach Haina Lee, a former Most Valuable Player awardee (2010) in the Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball Association (MMTLBA) league during her heyday.
Assisting Lee on the bench were Hiu Sheung Chan, Tiffany Co and Kharl Oaferina.
“I want to thank the Uno community for its unwavering support,” said Milton Yu, Uno High School Sports director and Prefect of Discipline. “One of the team’s great assets was that it played as a TEAM. Nobody cared for the individual stats or who would wind up as the highest pointer of the team. The unconditional support of the parents also played a huge role in our success this year.”
Like Uno High School in the Ladies Division, Saint Jude Catholic School also retained its crown in the Developmental Division (for boys aged 11 and under).
The Judenite kids swept Pace Academy, 2-0, in the best-of-three finals for a championship repeat. A year ago, SJCS edged Philippine Cultural College, 29-27, in their titular showdown.