La Salle, Adamson top SBP Passerelle finals

MANILA, Philippines – The Big City teams stamped their class over their Visayan counterparts, sweeping the national finals of the Best SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament backed by Milo at the St. La Salle Coliseum recently.

La Salle Greenhills routed University of the Visayas, 55-39, to capture its second straight national championship in the SBP division while Adamson University turned back Bacolod Tay Tung High School, 70-61, in overtime to likewise nail its second straight Passerelle division championship.

With its defense holding, La Salle used a big second quarter run to take control then fended off a series of UV fightbacks to cruise to the 16-point victory.

Ethan Alian, who led the second quarter blitz that broke the game open, had 10 points while Javi Jugo had eight markers and four others scored at least six points each.

Sean Salarza had 12 points to lead UV, which struggled in the face of La Salle’s stifling defense.

Meanwhile, Adamson U needed an extra five minutes to finally thwart a tough-fighting Bacolod Tay Tung High School side which played in front of a supportive and loud hometown crowd.

Tay Tung took a 12-10 lead at the end of the first quarter before Adamson took a 23-20 halftime lead and 47-45 cushion at the end of the third quarter. The Visayas champions surprisingly stepped up and managed to keep pace with the taller, bigger and more talented Baby Falcons.

Down 55-60, Tay Tung fought back to force overtime at 60. But Jeffy Mailim and Nicole Quinal drilled in three straight triples to give Adamson a 69-60 lead before the Baby Falcons went to their defense to frustrate Tay Tung.

Jeffy Mailim led Adamson with 13 points, including three clutch treys, while Nicole Quinal and Ahmad Hanapi had 11 markers each. Ralph Cagalawan led Tay Tung with 13 points.

In the battle for third in the SBP division, Xavier University of Cagayan de Oro whipped Berkeley School of Baguio, 72-33, while Holy Child College of Davao defeated International School for Better Beginnings, 75-56, to take third place in the Passerelle division.