Chiang Kai Shek blasts St. Jude

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion Chiang Kai Shek College rolled to its third straight win by clobbering St. Jude Catholic School, 88-48, in the 43rd Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball Association-BonChon Chicken Championship at the CKSC gym in Manila over the weekend.

The Blue Dragons had little trouble in disposing of the Judenites as Paulo Pilanga, Mohammad Al Salim and John Gallego dominated early to set the tone for their second straight blowout win that firmed up their lead in the six-team tournament presented by BonChon Chicken.

Pilanga led the CKSC’s attack with 12 points and six rebounds while Salim and Gallego chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Five other Blue Dragons scored eight points or more for the Goldwin Monteverde-mentored squad, which roared to a 49-21 lead at the break.

In the other game, Xavier School handed last year’s runner-up and reigning Philippine Secondary Schools Basketball Championship Hope Christian High School its second defeat by pulling off 71-66 overtime victory to likewise stay unbeaten in two games in the tournament backed by Solar BTV, Molten and Summit Water.

Kyles Lao dished out another solid game for Xavier, tallying 25 points, including a clutch basket for a 68-63 lead with barely 25.8 seconds left in the contest.

But Mark Nuñez hit a triple then Paolo Susmerano canned two pressure-packed charities for HCHS.

In the Aspirants division, CKSC crushed Xavier, 70-46, for its second straight win while host St. Stephen’s High School downed Grace Christian College, 71-47.