SHS-Ateneo, UV start strong in SBP Passerelle regionals

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines —  Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and University of the Visayas sent a strong signal by scoring confidence-building wins in their first games at the Visayas regional finals of the 33rd SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament backed by Milo at the Bacolod Tay Tung High School Gym.

SHS-Ateneo scraped past Tay Tung, 60-53, in the opening Passerelle game of the two-day tournament, while UV dumped Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion of Roxas, 73-33, in an SBP division game.

It was a nip and tuck affair for the Magis Eagles and the hosts in the first half, with both sides exchanging leads, the biggest at six points. Tay Tung started out hot, building its lead before the champions from Cebu recovered to take the upper hand, 15-14 after the first quarter.

It was the same story in the second period as SHS-Ateneo retained a one-point lead, 27-26. Things opened up for SHS-Ateneo in the third period where Sean Uribe and Kristian Michael Porter scored six points each to give the Magis Eagles a 49-44 lead at the end of the third quarter.

After Tay Tung slashed the lead to 46-49 to start the fourth period, Nico Tuadles scored up close while Jhoernel Tangkay hit a triple for a 54-48 lead, the breathing room maintained for the rest of the game. Tay Tung cut the lead to five, 53-58 with 2:39 left in the game but an Uribe putback with 1:30 left in the game sealed the deal. Both sides were scoreless after that.

Uribe led SHS-Ateneo with 10 points while the Allosada twins William Agamemnon and William Archimedez had seven apiece.

UV went to its scrappy defense and speed to break down the Roxas champions from the get go, taking a 16-11 first period lead. Using a crippling press to cause turnovers, the margin ballooned to 35-22 at halftime before bloating to 58-26 after three quarters.          UV Coach Ronald Bucao managed to have his key players rest in the fourth quarter, giving his second stringers playing time to close out the win. Jan Mark Toring led UV with 12 points while Kenneth Cole added 10.

In the other Passerelle division game, St. Robert’s International Academy of Iloilo trashed HERCOR College of Roxas, 78-60, proving that they too can’t be taken for granted. In the other SBP division game, St. John’s Institute devoured Hua Siong College of Iloilo, 75-31.