Abellana, SCSIT set up final duel in CYBL girls hoops

CEBU, Philippines - Abellana National School and Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology (SCSIT) scored contrasting semifinal round wins to stage a showdown for the Girls Under 18 division championship at the CYBL Summer League 2017. Abellana ousted Compre Basketball, 42-29, while SCSIT squeezed past Grassroots Basketball, 40-35, in games played at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Mango avenue campus gym. 

 Abellana streaked to its fifth win in as many games after sweeping the classification phase, going into the finals as heavy underdogs. After streaking to 13-2 and 23-15 leads after the first two quarters, Abellana allowed Compre back into the game in the third quarter where the Mandaue team sliced the lead 27-23. Abellana then stepped on the gas to pull away for good for the win.

Darlene Ragasajo led Abellana with 13 points while Latch Mae Hipolito added nine. Mary Grace Cogtas led Compre with nine.

In the other semifinal game, SCSIT delivered in the clutch to stave off a Grassroots side that kept the game close all throughout. SCSIT couldn’t break the game open with Grassroots always lurking from behind.

After SCSIT took a 26-22 lead after three quarters, the Grassroots team rallied and tied the game at 32-all. SCSIT replied with a 4-0 blast and maintained leads of four points after both sides exchanged baskets until time expired.

Mary Jean Pascual and Kathleen Agustin led SCSIT with 15 and 10 points, respectively. The Grassroots team was led by Princess Jeira Delig who had 20 points as Maria Agnes Poster added 10.

 In the Division 2 Finals of the Under 15 age group, One on One B toppled USPF-B, 52-48. Leading from start to finish, One on One B led from the get go, only to relax before a rallying USPF side which was too far behind to stage a miracle comeback.

One on One led at the half, 31-12, before USPF used their third quarter set of players to stage a rally. The lead was cut to 40-29 at the end of the third quarter and USPF used this momentum to rally further in the fourth period. But One on One recovered in time with clutch baskets to bag its second win in the tournament. They also won the Division 2 of the Under 13 age group. Richard Limboy led One on One B with 12 points while Aji Dimatag led USPF with 25, all in the third and fourth periods. (FREEMAN)