DPS triumphs in basketball, taekwondo, chess tourneys

MANILA, Philippines - Diliman Preparatory School (DPS), a learning institution known for its innovative educational and sports programs, made huge strides with its successes in basketball, taekwondo and chess in various tournaments this school year.

The DPS SkyXplorers topped Claret, 59-44, to rule the Athletic Association of Private Schools (AAPS) basketball tournament for the first time since 1990. The team will represent District 3 in the Quezon City inter-district tournament.

DPS president and chief executive officer, former Sen. Nikki Coseteng congratulated athletic director Dayong Mendoza and coach Renzy Jabar, both former PBA players, for the feat.

The DPS taekwondo jins bagged five gold, two silver and eight bronze medals in two tournaments – the SMART National Taekwondo Championships and the SMART National Inter-School Taekwondo Championships.

DPS emerged over-all champion in the grade school girls’ category in the first competition held July 31.

Amber Acosta was chosen best player. The following day, Gregorio Morillo, Jasper Guanio, Teobel Ramos and Joshua Magsino won the bronze medals that earned the school second runner-up honors in the high school boys’ category.

   In the second tournament, Gabriel Lamarca’s gold, Lordrenzo Toleos and Raymundo Alombro’s silver and Xander Tarun’s bronze earned the team the over-all title in the grade school boys’ category while the grade school girls’ team was first runner-up with Amber Acosta’s gold and Alexandria Reyes’ bronze.

On the second day of the tournament, Averie Belsonda and Cirlo Alcantara took gold medals while Arvin Guanio and Jonathan Tal Placido got bronze medals, making them over-all champion in the high school boys’ category.

The DPS chess team was also the champion during the recent AAPS chess meet. Domingo Perona III, 14, was the overall champion for high school boys while Maria Jose Pastor, 13, was the overall champion for high school girls.