USC-NC, SHS-J rule FBL caging

CEBU - The University of San Carlos-North Campus rode on the endgame heroics of John Michael Pajantoy and Tikoy Gacrama to eke out a 44-41 win over the Sacred Heart School-Jesuits (SHS-J) Eagles and capture the midget division crown of the Primovit-backed Futures Basketball League (FBL) at the Capitol Parish gym along Escario Street, this city.

The SHS-J Eagles, however, made up from the loss of their older counterparts but have to go through double overtime before fending off the gritty Don Bosco Technology Center, 58-50, and clinch the mini class title.

The Don Bosco cagers actually have two chances of winning the game outright, but could only blame themselves for their costly defensive lapses.

The Bosconians were ahead by 40-38 with only five seconds left in regulation, but Sacred Heart sneaked in medium-range jumper to tie the count at 40-all, thus, the five-minute extension.

Again, the DBTC squad was on top by two in the final 16 seconds, 50-48, but Jed Colonia sank a twinner to forge a second overtime.

It was then at this point that the Bosconians ran out of gas. In stark contrast, the Sacred Heart mainstays fought with the same level of intensity and made a blistering 8-0 run to take a 58-50 advantage with 3:19 to go.

Controversy, however, suddenly broke out when the parents of Don Bosco players ordered their sons to stage a walkout to the dismay the sponsoring Primovit officials and organizers led by coach Mike Reyes and Ryan Betia.

“They should have not done that. All the way, the game was so nice but because of the parents’ intervention that pressured the coach, the game suddenly turned ugly,” said Reyes, who is also the basketball consultant of the University of San Carlos (USC).

After the games, Reyes handed out the trophies to the outstanding individual achievers.

Among the awardees in the mini division were Benedict Chua Jr., and Jed Colonia of SHS-J) and Scott Aying of DBTC. The Rising Star accolade went to Angelo Gabriel Pioquito of SHS-J.

The awardees in the midget division were Arne Padilla of USC, and Jarell Mercado and Reggie Abbu of SHS-J. Pajantoy of USC-North got the Rising Star award.

The scores

Mini division

Sacred Heart (58) — Pioquinto 20, Araw-araw 15, Mendoza 8, A, Chua 7, Colonia 4, Sepulveda 2, Dumol 2

Don Bosco (50) - Aying 27, Quimque 7, Villagracia 6, Del Campo 4, Jumao-as 3, Hapin 2, Tabasa 2

Midget division

USC-North (44) — Pajantoy 12, Gacrama 10, Alipio 4, Armenion 4, Aliser 3, Arnejo 3, Piad 2, Pleños 2, Bulan 2

SHS-J (41) — Sing 8, Huang 6, Go 6, Saceda 5, Wahing 5, Abbu 4, Navarro 3, A. Lim 3, Mercado 1. - THE FREEMAN