Ranged against the event’s biggest revelation and down by a set in the early going, Kennevic Asuncion didn’t cringe and fought back with remarkable resolve to dominate the last two frames and end Lloyd Escoses’ giant-killing spree, 15-17, 15-4, 15-7, to cop the men’s crown.
Escoses, the four-time UAAP MVP from Far Eastern U, had earlier bundled out third seed Jaime Junio and top ranked defending champion Ian Piencenaves and actually headed for another big win when he outscored Asuncion and snatched a 17-15 decision in the first set.
But Asuncion rediscovered his form in the second then simply outclassed Escoses in the decider to run away with the victory he last won in the inaugural staging of what has become the unofficial national badminton championships.
But while Kennevic had to go through some anxious moments before prevailing, Kennie Asuncion proved too much for Irene Chiu, scoring an easy 11-3, 11-0, to retain the ladies crown for the fourth straight year in the annual event sponsored by electronics giant JVC.
The talented brother-sister tandem each won P15,000 and a JVC DVD cinema system plus Technomarine watches, Gosen rackets, Rudy Project shades and other gift items from Alaska, Colours, Bachus, Toby’s and Lactacyd for Kennie.
AB Leisure, on the other hand, proved steadier than The STAR in their spirited battle for the corporate division crown, winning the ladies and men’s doubles via a pair of three-set thrillers. Pauline Santiago and Elaine Lao dropped the first set but turned back the Star tandem of Analyn Delgado and Anna Filamor in a gripping three-setter that could’ve gone either way to win the ladies doubles, 14-17, 15-12, 15-11.
Then Ricky Morales and Albee Benitez thwarted the Miguel Belmonte-Chester Cordero tandem in another thrilling three-setter, 15-10, 10-15, 15-7, to take the men’s double and wrap up the tie. The STAR duo actually sustained their second set romp by seizing control in the deciding set, 3-1, 7-4, but lost steam in the face of AB Leisure’s feisty fightback as Morales and Benitez scored at will and took the next 11 points to clinch the match and the crown worth P30,000.