MORE on the high school basketball competitions in Season 6 of the Philippine Ching Yuen Athletic Association (PCYAA), a multi-sports league among Chinese-Filipino schools in the Metro Manila area that I have been covering since Day One.
After six playing dates, only two schools are unblemished in the eight-team 18-Under Boys Juniors tournament.
Defending titlist Saint Jude Catholic School and its closest rival, Philippine Cultural College, remain unbeaten with identical 4-0 records following victories over their respective opponents last Sunday at the Uno High School gym.
Saint Jude Catholic School whipped St. Stephen’s High School, 48-37, in a low-scoring contest that produced only a combined 31 points in the second half and none in the final 2:49.
The Green Knights were in control throughout the payoff quarter, registering a lead of no less than seven points in the final 10 minutes. Jeffrey Metrado, in the final year of varsity eligibility as a Grade 12 stude, topscored for SJCS with 10 points.
Philippine Cultural College, engineered by its mesmerizing defensive pressure that resulted in numerous transition baskets off steals, had an easy time in trouncing Grace Christian College, 78-51, in a wire-to-wire mismatch.
The Golden Seagulls, who were ahead by at least 14 points after the first five minutes, got 23 points and 11 rebounds from John Patrick Sy, one of three holdovers from the luckless 2016 team that threw away a 10-game winning streak and a 1-0 finals lead in surrendering the second and third games of the best-of-three championship series against Saint Jude Catholic School. (The other two returnees are Rafael Ckenji Pangilinan and Bryan Gadingan.)
Saint Jude Catholic School and Philippine Cultural College will clash on Saturday, February 2, in what could be a preview of this season’s finals.
The top two seeds following the elimination round will automatically advance to the semifinals (while drawing a bye in the quarterfinal playoffs that feature No. 3 vs. No. 6 seed and No. 4 vs. No. 5) armed with a twice-to-beat advantage over their respective foes.
Meanwhile, Jubilee Christian Academy improved its ledger to a third-running 3-1 following a 103-66 spanking of host MGC New Life Christian Academy last Sunday. It was the Jubileeans’ third consecutive triumph after dropping their season opener against Saint Jude Catholic School (63-47) in a battle between the 2018 finalists.
Jubilee racked up 16 triples against the young New Lifers, including five by Miko Yu, the team’s top scorer with 18 points.
Saint Jude Catholic School looks to go 5-0 when it takes on Grace Christian College (2-2) on Tuesday, January 22.
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