TnT-QC clinches 4th Batang PBA crown

MANILA, Philippines - Jolo Mendoza fired a game-high 42 points as Batang Talk n Text-Quezon City clinched its fourth consecutive championship in the Coca-Cola-Batang PBA Summer League with a 104-62 rout of Derby Ace-Caloocan at the Araneta Coliseum yesterday.

The Batang Texters, a combination of grade schoolers from Ateneo, Lourdes, St. Claire, Chiang Kai Shek and La Salle, led from start to finish, wrapping up the crown with relative ease the way they did in the past two finals of the tournament for kids 9-12 years old.

It was another milestone for the team, backed by telecommunications executives Manny V. Pangilinan and Ricky Vargas and national under-13 coach Mark Herrera who also mentors the UE Junior Warriors in the UAAP.

Batang TnT-QC broke the game wide open early as Mendoza, son of former UP Fighting Maroon and Shell assistant coach Jig Mendoza, scored all but one of his team’s output in the opening quarter.

Mendoza, who later bagged the MVP honors, powered the team to a 33-13 bulge after one quarter then John Vincent Gallego took over in the next, pouring in 20 of his 26 points as TnT-QC stretched the lead to 23 points at halftime.

“It’s a nice feeling to win championships but to do it with the kids makes it even more fulfilling,” said Herrera, who had steered the team to four straight titles. He won the first one in 2007 while coaching the team’s 9-10 years old division.

Gian Robert Muyac scored 10 points and Fran Louie Yu added nine for the Batang Texters, who are also the defending champions of the PowerAde Batang PBA National Finals which gets going Tuesday.

Aljun Melecio scored 23 points, Junel Nacpil had 12 and Pierre dela Cruz added 11 for Batang Derby Ace-Caloocan City, which also advanced to the PowerAde Batang PBA National Finals.

Meanwhile, Rain or Shine-San Juan beat Coca-Cola-Marikina, 77-62, to bag third place honors.