MANILA, Philippines - Chiang Kai Shek College is now one of the country’s top flight high school teams. No doubt about it.
After several missed chances, the Blue Dragons finally claimed the championship that mattered most to them by winning the Passerelle division of the recent BEST Center-organized, Milo-sponsored National Twin Tournaments at the University of the Assumption gym in San Fernando, Pampanga.
With John Vincent Gallego at the helm and the alumni, led by former coach Sunny Co, cheering them on all the way, the Blue Dragons came through with a decisive second quarter run to score a resounding 79-50 win over University of San Carlos of Cebu City.
The title win not only underscored Chiang Kai Shek College’s dominance in the tournament but also proved that the Blue Dragons are now one of the “Big Boys†in the country.
Coach Goldwyn Monteverde attributed their success to their new-found confidence which they gained by seeing action in the Philippine Secondary School Basketball Championship (PSSBC) , a tournament dubbed as “Battle of Championsâ€.
It was a fitting follow-up to their title conquest in the Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball League – the foremost Fil-Chinese basketball tournament in the country.
Monteverde was also grateful to the all-out support of the alumni, saying: “Without them, we can’t put up a solid program. They have been with us through the years, providing us morale and financial support.â€
Gallego led the Blue Dragons with 22 points, including back-to-back triples that sparked a vicious 12-2 run for a 27-17 advantage, a lead they wisely and valiantly protected.
They opened their campaign in devastating style by hacking out a 90-75 win over Luzon champion Angeles University Foundation then crushed Mindanao titlist Ateneo de Davao, 81-55, to forge a title showdown with the Visayas champions.