Pace nips GCC, gains PCYAA bonus

MANILA, Philippines – Standings: PCC 6-0, Saint Jude CS 5-1, MGC-NLCA 5-2, Pace 4-3, GCC 3-4, UHS 2-5, JCA 1-5, SPAC 0-6.

Dean Ong hit a clutch triple as Pace Academy hacked out a thrilling 72-70 win over Grace Christian College to nail No. 4 spot in the Juniors Division of the third Philippine Ching Yuen Athletic Association (PCYAA) basketball championship at the Uno High School Gym in Tondo recently.

Ong took a pass from Pol Antiporda with barely 7.9 seconds left and buried the trey as the Pacers finished the seven-game elimination round with a 4-3 record for the last twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

They will play sixth-seeded GCC again in the next round. 

Ong topscored for the Pacers with 19 points while Antiporda added 16 markers and Getson Lim had nine points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

Meanwhile, Makati Gospel Church-New Life Christian Academy drew 16 points and 10 rebounds from Carl Ong as it crushed Uno High School, 75-47, and finished at No. 3 with a 5-2 mark.

MGC-NLCA will face No. 6 Uno High School in the next round.

In other quarterfinal matchups, top seed Philippine Cultural College battles No. 8 seed Saint Peter the Apostle School while defending champion and No. 2 seed Saint Jude Catholic School collides with No. 7 seed Jubilee Christian Academy.