BACK-to-back Metropolitan Amateur Sports Association (MASA) championships and a pristine 9-0 record for the season.
This was the mission accomplished by the Hope Christian High School basketball team recently.
Former National Youth Team member Kris Harvey Pagsanjan saved the best for last, netting a team-high 19 points, seven rebounds and three steals as the Warriors whipped Saint Jude Catholic School, 76-52, to retain the MASA Juniors (high school) basketball crown and complete the season without a loss in nine assignments.
Overall, the victory was HCHS’ 21st consecutive dating back to the 2014 third-place game.
The Warriors were on the driver’s seat from start to finish, enjoying a lead of 21-11 after the first 10-minute quarter and 39-22 at the intermission as the explosive Pagsanjan, a member of the PH squad to the FIBA Asia Championship in the 16-under and 18-under levels, tallied 15 points on 7-for-9 field shooting.
Coach Jerson Cabiltes’ troops were up, 49-25, on consecutive baskets by Pagsanjan and a pair of three-pointers by Ryan Miguel Quiambao when burly Mallechi Colby Lim sandwiched a Maynard Yap fielder with twin treys of his own to trim the Judenites’ deficit to 19 points, 49-30.
Just as quickly, Mac Chester Jacob completed a three-point play, Charles Benoza scored from under and Marvel Jimenez went 2-for-2 from the foul line to push the Warriors back to a comfortable 58-34 advantage.
HCHS entered the final frame with a 62-41 edge and was never seriously threatened as it was ahead by at least 21 points and as much as 29 (74-55).
Quiambao contributed 15 points (including three triples), Carlo Carino totaled nine scores and Jacob had seven markers along with 10 boards.
Saint Jude Catholic School was bannered by Lim, who had 18 points (including three threes) and three steals. High-scoring Yap was held to seven markers and Adrian Pe finished with six scores for the runner-up Judenites.
In the third-place contest, Saint Stephen’s High School survived a last-ditch rally by Philippine Cultural College to win, 74-68.
Luigi Laroco chalked up 24 points and nine rebounds for the 2015 second-place Stephenians, who also drew double-digit scores from Sean Ng (17) and Deriss Sabado (13).