BAGUIO CITY – University of the Cordilleras Grade School (UCGS) had to sweat its hard to win their game against Star Colleges Incorporated Elementary School, 42-41, while the Berkeley Girls routed a common opponent Star 45-21, last November 12 and 13, 2016 at the YMCA, here.
The match-up of UCGS and Star last November 12 turned out to be a very exciting game. Both teams got to their feet as both teams played equally from the first canto to the fourth canto of play. The teams’ play right from the start of the first canto got the crowd on their feet with a display of defensive strategies and controlling of the boards. The quarter ended with an equalized score, 5-all,
The second canto action had both teams running, imploring for turnovers for the advantage. Both squads, however, had not the chance to be on the driver’s seat with a tied score at 15-all at the end of the first half.
Third quarter action increased with both squads exuding in energy trying to be at the driver’s seat. As this ensued, UCGS got a good break as they took advantage of a conversion in the field that gave them the lead at the dying seconds of the third canto action, 27-25.
A more interesting fourth canto of play made the crowd even more excited as SCI elementary came back with a flurry of field conversions that placed them in the driver’s seat by six points, 33-27, at the opening minutes. UCGS, however, came back with their own field goal conversions to tie the score at 35-all with less than two minutes on the clock.
With just over one minute and both teams on penalty situation, UCGS grabbed a three point advantage, 39-36, but gave up fouls to SCI, enabling them to equalize the score again via free throw conversions at 39-all. UCGS, meantime, gave up another foul again sending SCI to the fifteen foot line for a two-for-two conversion to loss the lead 39-41.
UCGS got a quick conversion before time expired, with a 0.7 fraction of a second left, for the equalizer and a foul given up by SCI as time expired sent UCGS to the free throw line with a point conversion to win the game.
Meanwhile, Berkeley Girls Basketball team also showed their skills in the hard court after emerging the victor in their match-up against the Star College Girls Basketball team last November 13. Berkeley opened the scoring with a 15-2 run in the first quarter of play before ending the first half with a 30-8 score.
Second half action came in slow as Star registered a 4-8 blast in the third canto of play to try to chip off the lead but to no avail as the quarter ended with Berkely still comfortably up, 34-18. The SCI Girls slowly dwindled while Berkeley limited them to only two conversions and held on to win in the fourth quarter, posting a 45-21 final score.