IT’S all systems go for the 7th Quezon City Athletic Association (QCAA) basketball finals that will be held on Saturday, November 16, at the Tivoli Royale Country Club gym in Batasan Hills, Q.C.
The championship is at stake in each of the five divisions of the 2.5-month basketball competitions. For the 12-and-under boys’ elementary division championship, it will be Ateneo Grade School against School of Saint Anthony.
In the 13-and-under boys’ elementary division finals, Angelicum College will tangle with Jubilee Christian Academy. Angelicum College will take to the floor against the Community of Learners Foundation (COLF) for the Girls High School crown in a rematch of last year’s finals.
The Lady Roebucks are seeking a fifth consecutive title. A year ago, the Santo Domingo-based Dominican school registered a come-from-behind 83-76 victory over COLF in the finals behind Finals Most Valuable Player Baby Charmagne Torres’ 33 points and Wynona Jose Guallar’s 24.
Meanwhile, King’s Montessori and Mother of Perpetual Help School will duke it out for the Boys High School-Developmental crown and Saint Vincent School and Immaculate Conception Cathedral School will face each other in the Boys High School-Competitive finals.
There will be a new winner in the two aforementioned divisions as the finals cast in both levels are entirely different from last year’s. Sponsored by Evian, Ceres Fruit Drink, Chris Sports, L.J.S.-Goodie Products Philippines Inc. and Chef’s Classics, the five-game bill will commence at 8:00 in the morning.
Following the games, the QCAA will announce the members of the Ceres Mythical Five and the recipient of the Evian Coach of the Year award. Through the years, the QCAA has sent a number of its basketball products to prominent colleges and universities.
They include University Athletic Association of the Philippines veterans Clark Bautista and Ed Daquioag of the 2013 UAAP runner-up University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, Carlo Gomez and Andrew Harris of the Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP) Fighting Maroons, Irvin Mendoza of the Adamson Soaring Falcons, Jeoffrey Javillonar of the National University Bulldogs, and Chris de Chavez and Anton Asistio of the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Alison Carlos of the College of Saint Benilde Blazers made it to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
In the women’s collegiate level, there’s Alyssa Dogong of Ateneo de Manila, Likha Javier of UP; and Ara Abaca, Camille Claro and Rica Pineda, all of whom are members of the De La Salle University Lady Archers that defeated top-seeded National University in three games in this year’s UAAP finals.
The QCAA is headed by Alfredo Camarillo, chairperson; Lemwel Ortiz, president; Jordan Tolentino, secretary-general; Ricky Chua, treasurer; and Leo Aries Santos, public relations officer.