Sports: NBTC-Bacolod Finals!
Jr. Mustangs Defend Crown vs. Baby Rams
The West Negros University Junior Mustangs will begin its title retention campaign on Saturday, February 18 when it goes up against the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) Baby Rams in the Best-of-3 Finals of the National Basketball Training Center-Bacolod Best-of-3 Finals at the WNU gym.
The Junior Mustangs earned the championship slot after beating University of St. La Salle-Integrated School Baby Stingers, 86-69, last Sunday during their semifinal match.
Both squads played head to head in the early minutes of the second quarter at 24-23 in favor of the Junior Mustangs, before the latter team poured a 25-12 run to end the half at 49-35
In the opening of the third period, WNU Jude Fel Junto nailed a 3-pointer to open the host-team’s offense as USLS-IS Niel Felix Besa scored back on a power move underneath the basket.
But all things seemed to be on the Junior Mustangs’ side as they converted several points off their run and gun play putting the lead up to 24 points, 69-45.
However, errors and turnovers held the Junior Mustangs scoreless within two and a half minutes of play as the Baby Stingers slowly hitting some points to cut the lead to 13 points with a minute left in the period.
WNU guard Paolo Masias broke the ice for the Junior Mustangs on a strong drive to end the quarter, 71-56.
In the final period, Adrian Amar, Kraniel Villoria, Joseu Sagumpan and Junto anchored the Junior Mustangs as the lead ballooned to 22 points, 84-62, with 6 minutes left in the game.
The Junior Mustangs used the game clock to prevent the Baby Stingers on a possible offensive run and make a big come-back in the game. The Junior Mustangs were successful as they only allowed Baby Stingers a 7-2 run and end the match, 86-69.
Sagumpan led the Junior Mustangs with 21 points as Junto finished with 17 followed by Villoria with 12 and John Javelosa with 10 markers.
On the other hand, the Baby Rams earned the other finals’ spot after winning over St. Joseph School-La Salle, 82-64 during their semi-final encounter.
Meanwhile, Game 2 of the championship match will be on February 19, 2012 at 9 a.m. while in case of a rubber match, the game will be played in the afternoon at 3 p.m.
ALL STAR GAMES
The most anticipated event in the program was inspired by last year’s SEOIL All Star balloting campaign that ran here in Bacolod.
This year, the SEAOIL NBTC will begin the SEAOIL High School All Star Game, a game featuring the top 30 gradating high school players from around the entire Philippines.
In Bacolod, the All Stars Game is set on February 25, 2011.
It will be the first chance for everyone in the country to see the future stars f Philippine basketball playing together on the same court. Interestingly, the idea for this event was inspired by the tremendous success of the SEAOIL All Star program run only in Bacolod City last year.
Due to the success of the All Star balloting program run only in Bacolod last year, SEAOIL will add in four other cities which will run an All Star balloting campaign. These cities are Cebu, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga.*
