ILAGAN, Isabela ,Philippines – National Capital Region dominated the SCUAA National Olympics recently, sweeping the men’s and women’s basketball crowns to bag the overall crown at the Melanio Singson Sports Complex.
NCR, represented by the Rizal Technological University Blue Thunder, outlasted Ilocos Region, 92-90, in the men’s basketball final to cap a five-game sweep.
NCR won the overall championship with 118 golds, 43 silvers and 34 bronzes in the event organized by the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), headed by Lauro Tacbas, in cooperation with the Isabela provincial government through Gov. Faustino Dy III.
Southern Tagalog finished second overall with 22 golds, 10 silvers and 37 bronzes and Central Luzon placed third with 21 golds, 19 silvers and eight bronzes.
Handled by coach Beaujing Acot and managed by Doris Tulio, the Mandaluyong-based Blue Thunder drew big games from Goy Bagares and Trim Pagente to outlast their rivals from Ilocos.
NCR-RTU also defeated Western Visayas, 86-80, Southern Mindanao, 127-90, and Bicol, 107-62.
The Lady Thunder made it a twin kill by beating Western Visayas, 93-82, in women’s final.
NCR also won in men’s baseball, women’ softball and women’s volleyball at the conclusion of the five-day, multi-event competition which attracted almost 5,000 athletes and officials from 109 state universities and colleges all over the country.
The NCR delegation was headed by PASUC regional chairman Olympio Caparas of Technological University of the Philippines, Jesus Torres and Jose Macaballug of Rizal Technological University and Prof. Jose Bernarte of Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
The other NCR officials in the delegation are Tulio of RTU, Prof. Lordinio Vergara of Philippine Normal University, Marino Quinajon of EARIST, Pao Motita of MPC, Joselito Bacani of PHILSCA and Vic Faldas of TUP.
Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta representative Mark Sambar was the guest speaker in the closing rites.