Bleacher Talk

The University of the Visayas and Abellana National School stood tall as they grabbed the championship of the SBP 3X3 Pambansang Under 16 Tatluhan Regional Finals over the weekend at the Magis Eagles Arena of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu. UV-1 came from behind to score a 12-10 win over Don Bosco Technology College Inc. 1, and win the boys division title. Abellana crushed Carmen, 19-7, in the girls division championship game.

 Don Bosco-1 surprised everyone by jumping to a 4-0 lead to kick off the game but UV’s patience and defense paid off as Froiland Maglasang and ZJ Enriquez took over.

Enriquez, who came off the bench, was the team’s sparkplug as he drilled a two-point shot and drove his way against the taller defense to lay-ups and the cheers of the UV fans; rallying to tie the game at 8-all before going ahead, 10-8, with 1:30 left in the game. But it wasn’t over. Don Bosco replied as Grenal Malubay hit a two-pointer tie the game at 10-all with 40 seconds left in the game. After both sides couldn’t score in their succeeding possessions, Maglasang closed out the game with two free throws with 4 seconds left.

Maglasang led UV-1 with six points while Enriquez added five. Malubay and John Michael Siacor led Don Bosco with five apiece.

The loss was a bitter one for Don Bosco-1 as this was its only defeat in the entire tournament. They had earlier swept their group, 6-0, before winning in the quarterfinals and semifinals. On the other hand, UV-1 went 6-1 in the classification round.

 The girls division championship game was all Abellana as they jumped on Carmen to take a commanding 10-2 lead to kick off the game. Carmen battled to get close but didn’t have the firepower to match Abellana.

Florence Jil Talas led Abellana with 10 points while Darliene Ragasajo had six. Yvonne Durias led Carmen with three points. Abellana was the only team in both the boys and girls divisions to go undefeated from start to finish. They swept the field for a 4-0 record in the classfication phase before stopping Minglanilla 1 in the semifinals, 11-6. Carmen edged Apas, 12-11 in the other semifinal game.

 The UV boys team and the Abellana and Carmen girls teams will represent the Central Visayas in the national finals of the SBP 3X3, which will be held on June 9 at the Mall of Asia Music Hall grounds. They will also get the chance to watch Gilas Pilipinas play against Iran in a friendly game on June 8 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The regional finals drew a record crowd of 30 boys teams and 10 girls teams. Two teams from Bohol and Tagbilaran joined the one-day competition which also drew a warm response from the grassroots programs of local cities and municipalities such as Cebu City, Lapu-lapu, Danao, Medellin, Carmen, Minglanilla and Cebu Province.

SBP 3X3 and FIBA Commissioner Hector Villanueva and his deputy Jerry Abuyabor were pleased with the turnout as they encouraged LGU’s to go into 3X3 basketball as a means to tap the grassroots and grow the sport.

“We are very happy with the turn-out here in Central Visayas and look forward to bigger editions in the future,” both chimed in.