SHS-Ateneo, UV claim titles in ThreeSixty Pharmacy Cup

CEBU, Philippines - Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) and the University of the Visayas came out on top to win different age group championships of the ThreeSixty Pharmacy Cup 2013: CYBL 6 at the City Sports Club Cebu.

SHS-AdC bagged the crowns of the Under 10 and 13 divisions, while UV scored a second straight title in the Under 16 class.

SHS-AdC outscored University of San Carlos (USC) North Campus, 42-33, in the Under 10 finals, while the elder SHS-AdC team topped UV, 58-41, in the Under 13 championship game. UV stopped Cebu Eastern College, 77-69, in the Under 16 title game.

It was a swing of control and momentum in the Under 10 finals as USC North started out hot to take an 8-2 lead after the first quarter. SHS-AdC recovered to take a 19-12 lead at halftime before USC North rallied to cut it down to 23-20 after three quarters.

Robert Mayam and Daleandre Singson then conspired early in the fourth quarter, scoring the team’s first 12 points of the period to put the game out of reach at 35-26, four minutes left. Uriel Avila then took over to give the team its biggest lead at 39-28 with two minutes remaining.

Avila and Mayam led SHS-AdC with 14 points apiece, while Singson, the son of ex-pro Dale, added 11. Justin Betinol led USC North with 12.

It was also a similar script in the Under 13 finals, with SHS-AdC streaking to a 16-4 first quarter lead, only to cave in to lose control and the lead to UV, 18-21 at halftime.

The third period five for the Magis Eagles then restored control with Jao Celerinos giving SHS-AdC a 23-22 lead right off the buzzer. He then teamed up with Hans Mesina and Rubick Bacao on a 10-2 run to pull away from a 30-28 lead to enter the fourth period ahead 40-30, including a buzzer beating heave from near the midcourt by Bacao.

Andre Chua, Joshu Balankig and Hans Mesina then gave SHS-AdC a 48-33 lead to launch the fourth period and settle the outcome. Chua led a balanced attack with 13 points while Celerinos added 10. Bacao and Mesina had eight points each. Zachlean Quilantang led UV with 12.

For the first time in a long time, the UV U16 perennial champs faced stiff opposition from an upset-seeking CEC side which kept the game close for three quarters.

Down 19-11 and 34-28 after two quarters, CEC stunned UV in the third period behind the combination of Kent Moral, Jonathan Chi and Mark Berdera to take a 47-46 lead going into the final period. But after a Denzel Sabroso triple gave CEC a 52-50 lead early in the fourth period, UV scored eight straight points courtesy of their running game for a 58-52 lead and control of the game.

The lead swelled to 68-58 courtesy of back-to-back triples from Jimboy Pasturan and Gerald Fernandez with three minutes left. Sabroso drilled in a trey and Cris Yap added a charity to cut the lead to 72-65 with 1:15 left, but that was the closest CEC would get. Fernandez led all scorers with 21 points. Berdera, Tan and Moral had nine each to pace CEC.

The ThreeSixty Pharmacy Cup 2013 is the flagship tournament of Season 6 of the Cebu Youth Basketball League (CYBL). It is composed of 50 teams spread over four age groups: Under 10, 13, 16 and 19. (FREEMAN)