AND then there were only two.
It will be two-time defending titlist Saint Jude Catholic School and last year’s third-placer Makati Gospel Church-New Life Christian Academy in the finals of the 4th Philippine Ching Yuen Athletic Association (PCYAA) Boys high school basketball tournament at the Uno High School gym in Tondo, Manila.
This came about after the Judenites and New Lifers made short of their respective semifinal adversaries on Valentine’s Day (February 14) notwithstanding their twice-to-beat advantage.
SJCS finished off fourth-seeded Philippine Cultural College, 63-59, and the MGC-NLCA made short work of third-seeded Jubilee Christian Academy, 72-66, to arrange a best-of-three titular showdown.
The Finals schedule between the Judenites and New Lifers is as follows:
Saturday, February 18, 2:00 p.m., Game One
Tuesday, February 21, 6:30 p.m., Game Two
Thursday, February 23, 6:00 p.m., Game Three, if necessary
During the elimination round, the Judenites defeated the New Lifers, 53-47, after nearly squandering a 22-point lead (47-25) with eight minutes left in the game.
In that game, Maynard Yap (three triples) and Lance Chan (two triples) each netted 13 points for the winning outfit. The left-handed 18-year-old Yap also plucked down 12 rebounds and had four steals and a pair of assists.
“Mr. Pure Energy” Carl Ong registered a double-double for MGC-NLCA with 20 points and 11 boards.
Both teams wound up with identical 6-1 records after the elimination round. In a special playoff to determine the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinal playoffs, Saint Jude again outlasted MGC-NLCA, 77-69. Yap and Ong again sparked for their respective squads, with Yap collecting 19 markers and nine reebies and Ong producing 21 points and a dozen boards.
Saint Jude Catholic School is bidding to score a title “three-peat” and follow in the footsteps of three other basketball division champions in Season 4 PCYAA.
Earlier, Saint Jude Catholic School topped the Boys’ Developmental Division (12-and-under) for the third consecutive season, Makati Gospel Church-New Life Christian Academy snared the Boys’ Aspirants Division (14-and-under) for the third consecutive year and Uno High School also made it three in a row in the Girls’ High School competitions.
The Finals lineups:
SJCS (tournament averages in parentheses) – 4-Mallechi Colby Lim (6.6 ppg), 5-Sean Chua (1.2 ppg), 6-Calvin Uy (9.0 ppg), 7-Lance Chan (10.6 ppg), 8-Jan Nolasco (0.9 ppg), 9-Matthew Ang (5.3 ppg), 10-Joao Filipino (5.8 ppg), 11-Kevin Dela Cruz (0.0 ppg), 12-Adrian Pe (4.9 ppg), 14-Kiefe Chu (0.9 ppg), 15-Andrew Choa (4.6 ppg), 16-Kyle Tan (0.4 ppg), 17-Patrick Go (1.1 ppg), 18-Maynard Yap (15.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg) and 19-Charles Sy (5.0 ppg). Head Coach: Luis Nolasco Jr.
MGC-NLCA – 3-Daniel Lim (7.1 ppg), 4-Williamdale Tan (2.1 ppg), 5-Julien Salud (1.6 ppg), 7-Aaron Sy (6.6 ppg), 8-Kyle Sy (5.6 ppg), 9-Tristan Lao (4.5 ppg), 11-Nathan Tan (0.7 ppg), 12-Carl Ong (19.1 ppg, 11.6 rpg), 13-Cedric Ho (11.1 ppg), 14-John Angping (1.1 ppg), 16-Aldrico Dy (2.5 ppg), 19-Joshua Uang (2.0 ppg), 23-Ike Jordan Lim (7.5 ppg), 34-Mcneil Si (4.5 ppg) and 15-Linerwin-franc Magpayo (3.2 ppg). Head Coach: James Sia