Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion (CIC) is 12-Under 1st Runner-Up

COLEGIO de la Inmaculada Concepcion (CIC) — seeded No. 1 in Division B after the elimination round — finished as the 12-Under First Runner-Up in the 3rd BTC Cup. Shown with their coach PBL-veteran Frankie Lastimoso, they are (from left) skipper Christopher Go, wingmen Kelvin Anthony Kyle Demura and Zandyll Gomonit, and John Philip Pogoy.

St. Paul Learning Center • Team A is 10-Under 1st Runner-Up

SAINT PAUL Learning Center (SPLC) Paladins’ Team A — seeded No. 1 after the elimination round and the playoff — finished as the 10-Under First Runner-Up in the 3rd BTC Cup. Shown with their coach Norwin Honoridez, they are (from left) skipper Joshua Balankig, noted in the league as the Jousting Knight, wingman Ray Orville Ybañez, also known in the series as Trebuchet Bomber, Elias Aldallal and Philip Sesaldo. Meanwhile, Balankig, seen here holding the Golden BTC Cup for 1st Runner-Up, is also adjudged as the 10-Under Most Valuable Player (MVP) for 2011.

UV, SACS, SBC Forum, SPLC B emerge champions

UV Lancers skipper Mark Gerard Malagar flies for the basket passing through PCGS Blue Lions defenders as he helps lift his team to earn the coveted Golden BTC Cup as 16-under champions.

BANILAD TOWN CENTRE, Cebu City (28 August 2011) — University of the Visayas (UV) rose back after a game one setback in a best of three series to eventually earn the championship title at 16-under in the 3rd BTC Cup today.

The same was true for Sotero B. Cabahug (SBC) Forum for Literacy after it stumbled in game two in the best-of-three series at 12-under in Banilad Town Centre.

St. Alphonsus Catholic School (SACS) and Team B of St. Paul Learning Center (SPLC) simply overpowered their opponents denying them a third game to grab the titles at 14-under and 10-under.

16-under

PCGS Blue Lions centerpoint man Aldred Du drives past his UV Lancers counterpart Mark Joseph Basea in the deciding Game 3 of their 16-under Finals battle.

Philippine Christian Gospel School (PCGS) gave UV a pressured-packed game at the start of their series that rattled the knees of the Lancers to grab game one, 8-6, of the series presented by Thirsty, Dimsum Break and Nike.

With team orchestrator Jean Ray Tejam not playing on a Sunday for spiritual reasons, Myko Alvarez took charge at game one, scoring six points for the team, while containing UV’s Shawn Vincent Opolentisima.

The Lancers, however, zeroed in their defense on Alvarez in game two that limited the latter to nothing, while Opolentisima got himself into rhythm firing five hits in game two to give UV the needed win, 8-5.

Opolentisima became unstoppable in game three scoring 7 points, including a shot from beyond the arc, to earn for UV the golden BTC Cup over PCGS, 13-9, in this tournament backed by Robinson’s Supermarket and Nature Spring.

Jayzon Sy stepped up for PCGS with two bombs from beyond the arc and a goal but not enough to bail out the Blue Lions that lost steam in the last two minutes of the final game.

14-under

SACS Eagles wingman Junnelve Tumulak goes for the basket against PCGS Blue Lions defenders as he helps lift his team to earn the coveted Golden BTC Cup as 14-under champions.

The SACS Eagles were simply too tough a team to overcome for the 14-under PCGS Blue Lions as the former swept wins, 7-6 at game one and an overwhelming 11-5 at game two.

A validation of his worth in being eventually adjudged as the 2011 BTC Cup 14-under Most Valuable Player (MVP), Ian Renz Singculan carried SACS to earn the crown, scoring nine points in the finals.

PCGS led game two and had the momentum with the score at 5-2 over SACS when their battle got interrupted with over 6-minutes still left in their 10-minute game to give way to the Holy Mass that had just started at the venue.

The Blue Lions scored none as the game resumed.

12-under

CIC Blue Angels' wingman Kelvin Demura drives past SBC Forum skipper Ram Denzylle Pepito as he tries to lift his team that settled for the smaller runner-up Golden BTC Cup. SBC Forum became the 12-under champions.

Ram Denzylle Pepito started hot in the 12-under series banging in seven goals at game one for SBC Forum at it edged Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion (CIC), 8-7.

The Forums silenced CIC Blue Angels pointsman Christopher Go but Kelvin Anthony Kyle Demura stepped up scoring four points with Zandyll Gomonit pitching in three.

Demura, a bit lay back during the eliminations, took leadership of the CIC squad even since the playoff started, scoring five marks, while containing Pepito who managed only two goals when the Blue Angels prevailed at game two, 8-5.

SBC Forum skipper Ram Denzylle Pepito fies high.

Game three came as a highly defensive game on both squads with Pepito scoring only two points and giving opportunities for Daniel Selpa and Karl Frederick Osua to contribute a piece.

The Blue Angels could only score once through Demura and eventually bowed to the Forums, 1-4, and lost their dreams for each to bring home the champions’ medal from the tournament sponsored by Cherifer Growth Vitamins.

10-under

SPLC Paladins' Team A skipper Joshua Balankig drives for a basket against Team B centerman Ian Miguel Abella, an effort not enough to lift his team.

Seeded No. 2 during the semi-final games, the SPLC Paladins’ Team B upset their brothers in the top-seeded Team A, 6-4 in game one and 5-3 in game two, to earn the championship medals.

The opposing Paladin squads played like they were not brothers, even  putting game one to an overtime at 3-all at the end of regulation.

The sibling rivalry peaked during the extension.

But Ian Miguel Abella had the force in his hands as he literally carried SPLC-B to back-to-back wins scoring nine points with wingman Prince Evan Aulga Sollano contributing two of the team’s total production.

SPLC Team A Trebuchet bomber Ray Orville Ybañez shoots but defended by Ian Miguel Abella who lifted SPLC Team B to victory.

It came to be a lone jousting quest for SPLC-A skipper Joshua Balangkig who scored all his team’s points, as wingman Ray Orville Ybañez did not find his rhythm to get marks with his trebuchet-fired bombs.

Both teams nonetheless will present to their school by Wednesday, Aug. 31, two golden BTC Cups, the bigger champion cup from Team B and the smaller first runner-up cup from Team A.

The BTC Cup had gone on a third year the support of Holy Kettle Corn, Tutoring Club, and Optical Adult & Child, distributor of Lacoste, Oakley, Tag Heuer, Giordano, Levi’s and Silhouette sunglasses.

PCGS, UV rule the playoffs; as SACS, SPLC also enter finals

PCGS Blue Lions' Aldred Du cuts through the flying defense of UV Lancers' Mark Gerard Malagar.

BANILAD TOWN CENTRE Cebu City (27 August 2011, 1400H) — Philippine Christian Gospel School (PCGS) played with class in two divisions, while University of the Visayas (UV) dominated the games at 16-under to emerge victorious in the playoffs of the 3rd BTC Cup today.

St. Alphonsus Catholic School (SACS) also maximized its twice-to-beat advantage at 14-under, while the two teams of St. Paul Learning Center (SPLC) did the same here at 10-under as they had their finals tickets stamped for good.

12-under

Meanwhile, Sotero B. Cabahug (SBC) Forum for Literacy and Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion (CIC) conquered the UV Baby Lancers at 12-under and will meet today for the finals in this 3-on-3 series presented by Thirsty and Dimsum Break.

UV Lancers' Gyle Patrick Montaño tries to cut through the defense of SBC Forum's Alexander Matthieu Cortes.

The younger UV squad first bowed to SBC Forum, 3-4, after losing pointman Lyder Kent Canieso on foul, then to CIC Blue Angels, 8-11, after losing steam in overtime.

Ram Denzylle Pepito carried the Forums in overpowering the Lancers, even silencing gunman Canieso, as well as the Blue Angels scoring 5 total points in their 3-team one-round robin playoff.

While also silenced by the Forums and the Lancers during regulation, Blue Angels skipper Christopher Go stepped up during the 3-minute extension, scoring three crucial points as wingman Kelvin Demura matched the only 2 points the Lancers made.

16-under

UV Lancers' Shawn Vincent Opolentisima drives past CIE Lions' Michael Cavan during their 16-under quarterfinal encounter.

It was a different story for the 16-under Junior Lancers as they swept all its three 1-round quarterfinal and the key semi-final games with Shawn Vincent Opolentisima (left) bombarding 19 total points.

Opolentisima stepped up in the playoff, scoring 4 points in defeating San Isidro Parish School (SIPS), 9-5, then 6 marks in blocking PCGS, 10-6, and 3 hits in choking Centre for International Education, 7-6.

PCGS Blue Lions Aldred Du (#21) jumps for a goal despite all the three CIE Lions defending.

In the semi-finals as top-seed, Opolentisima fired 6 hits in the Lancers’ massacre of the 4th-seed CIE Blue Lions, 9-2, in the tournament backed by Nike Athletic Club, Robinson’s Supermarket and Nature Spring.

PCGS first edged CIE, 6-4, then SIPS, 10-8, in a heart-stopping overtime with Aldred Du (right) orchestrating the game, scoring 5 during regulation that ended 7-all, and adding two during the extension.

SIPS Tamaraws' Vince Bryan Cena moves for a drive after a screen by teammate Mark Joseph Laurente with PCGS Blue Lions' Myko Alvarez chasing him.

In a rematch during the semi-finals with the PCGS Blue Lions earning the twice-to-beat advantage, Jean Ray Tejam took charge in overwhelming the SIPS Tamaraws, 10-6, scoring back-to-back hits from beyond the arc plus yet another goal.

Vince Bryan Cena (left) led the last gallant stand of the Isidorians scoring 17 the whole day, including three jumpers and a desperate 2-pointer, but not enough to keep a SIPS team in the finals in their second year in the league.

SACS Eagles' Ian Renz Singculan drives past CIC Blue Angels' Steven Clien Maga.

In the 14-under category, SACS and PCGS made good use of their advantage casually overwhelming their crossover challengers to arrange a finals match against each other in the league sponsored by Cherifer Growth Vitamins.

The Alphonsian Eagles were just too much for the CIC Blue Angels to handle as the SACS squad sucked out the energy of the CIC team, 10-6, with its big man Joshua Grijaldo banging 6 marks from the low post.

As the Eagles limited hitman Paul Christian Go to only two points, Steven Clien Maga (above, right) took charge of the Blue Angels but managed only two lay-ups and a shot from beyond the arc.

PCGS Blue Lions' Karl Greyson Le tries to cut through the defense of SIPS Tamaraws' Julius Tanjay.

PCGS played as a team of equals as the Blue Lions edged the SIPS Tamaraws, 7-6, with their play anchored on Karl Greyson Le (left) who made three points from the low post, while Jayzon Sy pitched it with 2 hits plus a point each from Dustin Philip Yao and Anthony James Limchesing.

10-under

The SPLC Paladins showed why they are today’s Marines of the medieval Charlemaigne court as their two squads limited the playoff to just one game each, ridding out their challengers.

SIPS Tamaraws' Sean Victor Vargas (center) positions to pass the ball to teammate Miles David Lubid (left) following a screen by Andrew Justine Man against SPLC Paladins' Ray Orville Ybañez.

Joshua  Balankig and Ray Orville Ybañez played back-to-back again with two points each as their team denied any chance for the younger Tamaraws, 4-2, as Vic Varges (right) and Andrew Man scored just a point each.

And so did Ian Miguel Abella and Prince Evan Sollano as they butted out the last team from Sacred Heart School (SHS) Ateneo de Cebu that only had Neal Anthony Peteros scoring two points.

UV Lancers' Mark Gerard Malagar drives past CIE Lions' Miggy Uy during their 16-under semi-final encounter.

The back-to-back wins of the two SPLC teams resulted in a sibling rivalry from a band of brothers in the 10-under finals made possible by Holy Kettle Corn and Tutoring Club.

Coach Norwin Honoridez told his boys to play for the best today like playing against the toughest team they will have.

Observers are curious if it will be just a lax game or true do-or-die one.

The BTC Cup has reach its third year becoming now Cebu’s premier 3-on-3 basketball tournament with the support of Optical Adult & Child, distributor of Lacoste, Oakley, Tag Heuer, Giordano, Levi’s and Silhouette sunglasses.

UV eyes to dominate playoff at 16-under, 12-under

SIPS' Vince Bryan Cena (#7)

BANILAD TOWN CENTRE, Cebu City (26 August 2001) — University of the Visayas (UV) is expected to dominate the playoffs at 16-under and 12-under here as the 3rd BTC Cup enters the last weekend tomorrow.

The Junior Lancers who topped Division A at 16-under will clash for one round with the three other division top seeds in the quarterfinals of the tournament presented by Thirsty, Dimsum Break and Nike Athletic Club.

UV's Mark Gerard Malagar

Vince Bryan Cena (in photo above vs. Cebu Bradford School) will lead San Isidro Parish School (SIPS) as the Tamaraws will first clash with the Lancers who are expected to rally around spitfire Mark Gerald Malagar (in photo at left vs. SACS).

UV will then bank on Shawn Vincent Opolentisima as the team deals with Philippine Christian Gospel School (PCGS) that will rely on the shooting prowess of Jayzon Sy (in photo below vs. Cebu Cherish School).

PCGS's Jayzon Sy (left) breaks through 2010 16-under MVP Ogilve Lorence de la Fuente of Cebu Cherish.

Center for International Education (CIE) will put Jun Suk (Dave) Kim to man the low post againts UV’s bull-strong Mark Joseph Basea in their last quarterfinal game.

After the round, the team that will be seeded No. 4 will have to beat the No. 1 team twice to get into the finals. And so would Team No. 3 against Team No. 2 in this 3-on-3 series backed by Robinson’s Supermarket, Nature Spring and Cherifer PGM 10-22 “Tangkad Sagad” Growth Vitamins.

12-under

CIC Blue Angels skipper Christopher Go

The Baby Lancers aim to sweep the CIC Blue Angels and Sotero B. Cabahug (SBC) Forum for Literacy in their brief playoff encounter and grab the slot for the finals.

UV will rally around Lyder Kent Canieso, but they will need to deal with the tendem of Christopher Go (in photo at left)and Zandyll Gomonit at CIC and Ram Danzelle Pepito & Daniel Selpa of SBC Forum.

SBC Forum's Ram Danzylle Pepito (#13) in flight, as Daniel Selpa (#7) prepares to follow through.

The weakest link will have to bid the series goodbye as the top two will battle for the golden BTC Cup to tomorrow, Sunday, Aug. 28.

All the four individual players in each of the four champions teams in each of the four age categories will also receive a golden BTC medal.

The BTC Cup continued  to its third year with Holy Kettle Corn, Tutoring Club, and Optical Adult & Child, , distributor of Lacoste, Oakley, Tag Heuer, Giordano, Levi’s and Silhouette sunglasses.

SACS, PCGS to maximize advantage at 14-under, SPLC at 10-under

BANILAD TOWN CENTRE, Cebu City (25 August 2011) — Saint Alphonsus Catholic School (SACS) and Philippine Christian Gospel School (PCGS) will make use of their twice-to-beat advantage during their playoff at 14-under in the 3rd BTC Cup tomorrow.

And so would St. Paul Learning Center (SPLC) with its two teams that topped the 10-under card in this 3-on-3 tournament at Banilad Town Centre.

Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion (CIC) will count on pointsmaker Paul Christian Go when the Blue Angels attempt to knock out twice the SACS Eagles.

But the Alphonsians are bent on moving up to the finals leaning on Ian Renz Singculan in their quest in the series presented by Thirsty, Dimsum Break and Nike Athletic Club.

The SIPS Tamaraws, on the other hand, will likely set their play on Janus Marc Capuyan in dealing with the PCGS Blue Lions who have Dustin Philip Yao to keep the playoff to just one game.

Trebuchets

Meanwhile, the SPLC Paladins will put Joshua Balankig on another jousting spree with Ray Orville Ybañez firing trebuchets as they clash with smaller but speedy Tamaraws.

Sean Victor Vargas, always noted for his happy disposition on court, enjoying every game, will tackle the knights with Andrew Justine Man one game at a time and aim to beat them twice.

It may not be much of an uphill climb for the young Tamaraws as they bowed only by a hairline to the Paladins, 6-7, during their Aug. 13 encounter in the league backed by Robinson’s Supermarket and Nature Spring.

On the other hand, the only team that survived the eliminations from Sacred Heart School (SHS) Ateneo de Cebu will go on full throttle to redeem the honor of the Magis Eagles against the Paladins’ second squad.

Nicolai Manuel Trinidad and Neal Anthony Peteros will carry the Ateneans cause but it will be like battling a windmill in SPLC-B that they bowed to, 3-8, last Aug. 14.

Prince Evan Sollano and his fellow knights are also geared towards forging a sibling rivalry during the finals of this tournament backed by Cherifer PGM 10-22 “Tangkad Sagad” Growth Vitamins.

The BTC Cup continued  to its third year with Holy Kettle Corn, Tutoring Club, and Optical Adult & Child, distributor of Lacoste, Oakley, Tag Heuer, Giordano, Levi’s and Silhouette sunglasses.

CIC Blue Angels secure playoff slot at 12-under, as SPLC Paladin Knights gain advantage at 10-under

BANILAD TOWN CENTRE, Cebu City (22 August 2011, 0800H) — Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion (CIC) has secured the last playoff ticket at 12-under by way of a virtual massacre of St. John of Kenty, 10-3, at the 3rd BTC Cup here yesterday.

This developed as St. Paul Learning Center (SPLC)-B climbed up the No. 2 spot to earn an advantage in a twice-to-beat playoff round at 10-under just like its sister Team A at No. 1  after trouncing San Isidro Parish School (SIPS), 9-5.

Christopher Go and Zandyll Gomonit scored back-to-back with four points each for the CIC Blue Angels to finish the elimination round at 12-under with a clean 5-0 sweep of the teams in Division B.

CIC will join early qualifiers Sotero B. Cabahug (SBC) Forum for Literacy-B and the University of the Visayas (UV) in a 3-cornered playoff round in this tournament presented by Thirsty, Dimsum Break and Nike Athletic Club.

In the other 12-under games, Southwestern University (SWU) overpowered PAREF Springdale School’s Team B, 7-4, with Cameron Paul Sansan leading the young Cobras’ play that limited last year’s 10-under MVP Giles Nathan Benedicto to just two point for the young Titans.

The Titans’ Team A, however, managed to edge Sacred Heart School (SHS) Ateneo de Cebu’s Team B, 3-2.

In an inadvertent family feud among the band of brothers in Sotero B. Cabahug (SBC) Forum for Literacy, Team A also edged team B, 4-3, with their coach Ain Latonio telling his boys to play the best they could like they were playing in a championship game.

10-under

Meanwhile, big man Ian Miguel Abella carried the SPLC Paladins’ Team B with his panzer-like undergoal moves, scoring five points that matched what the Isidorian Tamaraws could produce in their 10-under game.

Despite heroic two goals and a 2-point bomb skipper Vic Vargas scored for the younger Tamaraws, boys of coach Virgilio Godinez stayed at the No. 4 spot and will need to beat SPLC-A twice to get into the finals in this series backed by Robinson’s Supermarket, Nature Spring and Cherifer Growth Vitamins.

The same it will be for Sacred Heart School (SHS) Ateneo de Cebu-B Magis Eagles that dropped to No. 3 as they face Abella’s team in the playoff of the tournament Nature Spring has also supported.

In the other 10-under match, Ethan Ryan Fajardo scored four points to lift SHS-Ateneo A against Springdale, 6-2.

The BTC Cup continued  to its third year with Holy Kettle Corn, Tutoring Club, and Optical Adult & Child, distributor of Lacoste, Oakley, Tag Heuer, Giordano, Levi’s and Silhouette sunglasses.