NPC holds basketball fellowship games

THE Negros Press Club (NPC) 40-above basketball team downed the News Sources Team composed of players from Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) in a hotly-contested game, 104-102, while NPC also swept the all-female and mixed volleyball competition against Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters sa Pilipinas (KBP) during the First Media versus News Sources NPC Sportsfest Fellowship Games held at the STI-West Negros University gymnasium in Bacolod City Saturday, September 22.

The News Sources Team, on the other hand, got back at NPC in the 40-under category with a 68-64 victory.

The News Sources Team led by Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, acting BCPO director, started their run game in the 40-above category with a 19-14 explosion in the first quarter taking the lead after the first half of play at 45-35 behind the steady play of Superintendent Levy Pangue, chief of Investigation and Detection Management Unit of BCPO, and Chief Inspector Ruel Culanag, head of Police Station 8.

But the NPC hoopsters fought back toe-to-toe at the start of the third quarter through the courtesy of Arman Espina, Mark Salanga, Edward Mulliken and Nonoy Lampinez to level the score at the end of the regulation period at 89-all.

A change of baskets ensued between the two protagonists in the five minutes overtime but NPC pulled away in the dying seconds to seal the victory at 104-102.

Espina and Salanga did the heroic play for NPC with 30 and 25 points, while Culanag and Pangue drained 22 and 20 markers.

Chief Inspector Roberto Indiape Jr., chief of Murcia Municipal Police Station, and Senior Inspector Rey Tolosa Jr., head of Police Station 4, chipped in 16 and 15 points, respectively.

In the 40-under category basketball, it was also a hotly-contested game between the combined team of news sources from BCPO, Nocppo, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) led by Senior Inspector Jun Ray Batadlan, head of Police Station 9, and Chief Inspector Publio Doctora Ploteña, city fire marshal, and NPC as the two battled evenly in the fourth quarters of action that only the last 33 seconds of play decides the outcome of the final score at 68-64 in favor of the former.

Jeremiah Alagaban, and Nico Delfin top-scored for NPC with 15 baskets each while Manolet Malata contributed 14 points.

The two-time all-female NPC champion team who won over KBP in volleyball in two sets were Dolly Yasa, Shiela May Gelera, Merlinda Pedrosa, Raquel Gariando, Malou Flejoles, and Mae Ann Defensor.

Vanessa Togoto, Jonnah Donoso, Dorel Cabatu, Roselyn Borromeo and Fleur Palmares played for KBP.

The NPC team members who reigned supreme in the “Mixed Volleyball Competition” after defeating their KBP counterparts were Salanga, Alagaban, John Dale Salazar, Merlinda Pedrosa, Gelera, and Gariando.

Ebreo and NPC president Renato Duran tossed the opening ceremonial ball.

The activity, which was in partnership with the Office of Congressman Greg Gasataya, was initiated by NPC director Martian Muyco. (PR)