BAGUIO CITY – Santisima converted ten out of ten from the fifteen foot line to be crowned as 2017 champions in the Engineers Hill Basketball Tilt last Saturday, January 21, 2017, at the Barangay covered court, here.
Constituents and basketball enthusiasts of Barangay Engineers Hill got their eyes glued and witness Santisima foil ROC’s title bid. Basketball action was at its best when the two teams collided in the hard court for bracket “A” in the final game for the championship.
With a shallow bench in the absence of some of its key players, ROC’s determination kept the team going as they advance to lead the first canto of play, 13-8.
Santisima, meanwhile, having the advantage of a deep bench, staged an early rally at the start of the second canto of play with players gelled at its best to chip off and grab the lead before the end of the second quarter buzzer, 36-28.
Coming back on the third canto of play ROC registered a 15-14 counter attack but still got short to overcome Santisimas fresh legs as they ended the third inning with a 50-44 score. With all efforts in the fourth and final canto, ROC offensively charged the basket to held Santisima to six deadlocks, with the sixth at 63-all, less than a minute left.
ROC momentarily grabbed the lead by one, 66-65, however, a conversion from the field by Santisima on the dying seconds got them back to lead 67-66 that resulted ROC to foul.
Among the other Highlights the championship’s basketball action was GWE seeing action against FILAMBRI, for bracket “C”,and Baguio Water District (BWD) matches up with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in bracket “B”.
A rare position in championship games had lingered after the first contest as Filambri failed to show up in their game against GWE for bracket “C” giving GWE an easy win for the Bracket “C” championship trophy.
BWD got the Bracket “B” crown in a close encounter with DPWH, 69-63. BWD posted a 22-15 lead in the first canto of play despite efforts from the DPWH to come up with a good defensive play. DPWH could come up with an answer, just answering BWD basket for basket, 11-all, from the field in the second canto of play that wasn’t good enough to cut the lead at the end of the first half buzzer, 33-25, in BWD’s favour.
BWD remained on top during the third with their defensive and offensive strategies. They were still up by eleven, 43-32, as the third canto buzzer sounded off.
Surprisingly energized to start the fourth, DPWH came up with their own run that converted BWD’s lead to a tie score four times, 61-all the last time in the dying minutes of the fourth canto. However, turnovers negated DPWH’s shooting spree to collapse against BWD’s end-game shooting.
Awarding came next with Kagawad Butch Gayot awarding the winners in simple rites.
By: BOBBY VINLUAN