New Life CA, JCA take opener in PCYAA caging

MANILA, Philippines — MGC New Life Christian Academy and host Jubilee Christian Academy trounced their respective rivals to lead the early winners in the fifth season of the Philippine Ching Yuen Athletic Association (PCYAA) basketball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan recently.

The New Lifers, with Mcneil Si firing 10 points, seized control early, posting a 32-18 bulge on their way to a 67-40 romp over the UNO side in the 18-under boys division.

Si finished with 16 points and completed a double-double with 13 rebounds.

MGC-NLCA, hardly missing some key players from last year’s champion squad, drew 11 points from Ike Lim and 10 markers from Paolo Reyes.

Host Jubilee Christian Academy, on the other hand, crushed Grace Christian College, 86-56, while Saint Jude Catholic School and Philippine Cultural College foiled Saint Stephen’s High School, 67-65, and Pace Academy, 75-72, in overtime, respectively.

Team skipper Carlo Lim scored 12 of his 25 points midway through the fourth quarter to anchor the Jubileeans’ 30-point romp.

Kyle Barraza backed up Lim with 18 points, including two triples while Marcus Lu paced Grace Christian with 22 points and Ralph Lim had a double-double of 11 points and 13 boards.

Mallechi Colby Lim knocked in 18 points, including three pressure-packed charities to help lift Saint Jude past Saint Stephen’s School.

In the lone 18-under girls juniors division clash, Jubilee Christian Academy stunned three-time defending champion Uno High School, 53-51, to join early winners Saint Stephen’s High School and Saint Jude Catholic School.

Bannered by Sandra Villacruz’s 20 points, JCA thus shattered the Lady Uneans’ 31-game win streak over three seasons.

Villacruz scored seven points in the last quarter, including an insurance free throw with three seconds left following teammate Marie Tan’s basket at the 24.4-second mark in the final 5:21.