Lourdes, SHS-Ateneo de Cebu claim titles

MANILA, Philippines - Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and Lourdes School of Mandaluyong cruised past their respective fields to claim the Passerelle and Small Basketeers Philippines championships, respectively, in the Milo-sponsored twin tournaments organized by the pioneering Best Center (Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center) last Sunday.

Lourdes School made sure its first trip to the national finals would be grand when it blasted last year’s runner-up Lourdes crushed 2010 SBP runner-up Ateneo de Davao, 76-36, in the championship game played at the Jacinto Tiu Competition Court of the Xavier School in San Juan, while SHS-Ateneo outplayed Holy Child School of Davao, 65-43.

Going unchallenged in its three elimination round games, Lourdes surprisingly faced stiff opposition from Ateneo de Davao in the early going, leading by only three, 19-16, after one quarter. Lourdes broke the game open in the second period to take a 35-22 lead then limited Ateneo to only three points in the fourth period to seal the win. Luis Miguel Velasco led Lourdes with 14 points while Benedict Cruz added 12. Dariel Josiah Manliguez led Ateneo de Davao with 11.

It was the same story in the Passerelle division championship game, where SHS-Ateneo would lead by only one, 12-11, after one quarter. The lead would balloon to 53-34 after three quarters.