DAVAO CITY, Philippines — National Capital Region overpowered Central Luzon, 103-79, and kept the secondary boys’ basketball gold for the third straight year, capping another romp by the Big City bets in the Palarong Pambansa which came to a close yesterday at the University of Southeast Asian Philippines Gym here.
Spearheaded mostly by players from reigning UAAP champion and back-to-back NBTC title-holder National U, NCR drew 17 points from Gerry Abadiano, who also went on to claim the MVP trophy for the second straight year.
Carl Tamayo and Terrence Fortea also shone in their farewell stint with the NCR squad, coming away with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
“This is extra special for some of my players since this is their last Palaro,” said NCR coach Goldwyn Monteverde, who also nailed his fourth Palaro crown.
NCR also topped secondary girls basketball and swept both secondary girls’ and boys’ volleyball at the UP Sports Complex Gym but it was the boys’ basketball triumph that capped the Big City bets’ domination of the annual games that saw them haul 67 golds, 44 silvers and 34 bronzes.
NCR has been the overall champion since 2005.
Tankers Miguel Barreto, Xiandi Chua and Philip Joaquin Santos led the gold medal assault for the fancied bets with Barreto emerging the most bemedalled athlete with seven golds. Chua and Santos each had six golds.
NCR also snared two golds from powerhouse Calabarzon in chess courtesy of Eric Labog, Jr., who avenged his blitz defeat to International Master Daniel Quizon by topping the individual standard and the team standard event with Chris Aldritz Pondoyo.