MANILA, Philippines - Newcomer Francis of Assisi College leaned on Richmond Sunga and Joeseph Paday in the stretch as it nipped Don Bosco Technological College of Mandaluyong, 62-61, to capture the 14th NCAA South men’s basketball crown at the LIMA gym in Batangas City over the weekend.
Sunga and Paday combined for 13 of the team’s last 15 points as the Doves completed a two-game sweep of their best-of-three series with the Grey Wolves to cap their successful campaign on their first try.
The Lyceum University of the Philippines-Batangas Lady Pirates moved closer to the women’s crown after subduing the San Beda College Alabang Red Lionesses, 62-59, in the opener of their own best-of-three playoff.
Paday topscored with 26 points while Sunga had 16 points, 10 of them in the pivotal fourth quarter where the SFAC cagers unloaded a decisive 8-0 run to wrap up the match and the series following their 72-59 triumph in Game One.
John Sambrano led the Grey Wolves with 22 points while Aldrin Alapag added 13, but hotshot Jonathan Tabulog struggled for just two points and missed three crucial free throws with under a minute left.
“We were very fortunate about this title because we only had nine players. This was totally unexpected considering that it was our first year in the league,” said veteran Doves coach Gabby Velasco, who once handled PBA-playing siblings and SFAC graduates Yancy and Ranidel de Ocampo.
“Sunga also played with a sore right heel throughout the tournament so it was a surprise we got this far,” Velasco said following the game witnessed by delighted SFAC president Prince Orosco and team manager Gigi Pratts.