BAGUIO CITY – The YMCA contingent in the religious division and Team A of the membership division whipped their rivals to bag the championships of the 13th YMCA Cup last May 29, 2017 at the YMCA gymnasium, here, after three months of basketball.
Team’s A and C clashed in close fight in forty minutes of basketball action in the membership division for the right to take home the jewel. Team C took the upper hand in the first canto, 23-19, but Team A came back with a flurry of basket conversions in the second to take the lead at the end of the first half of play 46-44.
Team A then dominated the game from the start of the second half of play with a high percentage field goal shooting, posting a 32-24 run to end the third canto of play with a ten point advantage, 68-78. This continued in the fourth as Team A controlled the boards along with great stoppage, good ball rotations, and basket conversions to assure them of the championship with a 102-96 finish.
Meanwhile, RC Brothers and Team YMCA of the religious division took a slow paced see-saw action from the start of the first canto. The slow game gave Team YMCA the upper hand 21-16 at the end of the first quarter.
Finding their mark on the hoop, Team YMCA held on the driver’s seat till the end of the second to increase their lead, 39-29.
A decisive third quarter, however, erupted as RC Bros finally found their mark and came in closer with a 24-21 blast to end the quarter seven points shy to tie, 60-53, still in favor of Team YMCA.
RC Bros continued the comeback at the start of fourth canto and managed to outscore Team YMCA in a 19-12 run to tie the score 72-72 at the dying seconds in the fourth quarter to force an overtime.
Team YMCA, however, got their second wind to bury a flurry of three point shots gave them the upper hand and end the championship game, 85-82, as the buzzer sounded.
Team B copped 2nd runner up honors for the membership division while New Life grabbed the bronze for the religious division.
Meanwhile, Arvin Almazora for the Membership Division, and Paul Moltio for the Religious Division were awarded 2017 Best Players in the league while UCCP – Cabanao La Trinidad was given the YMCA Cup Award for this year.
By: BOBBY VINLUAN