SMS bags finals seat in NBTC Div. 2
FROM going winless in their debut in the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) last year, the Sisters of Mary (SMS-Boystown) Aloysians completed a full turnaround after clinching a slot to the regional finals.
The Aloysians nipped the Asian College of Technology (ACT) Knights, 74-72, in the semifinals of the NBTC South Area Qualifiers Division 2 at the SMS-Boystown campus to advance to the finals.
CJ Gonzalez played the hero’s role for SMS-Boystown in the semis match after hitting three consecutive three-pointers to turn a five-point deficit in the last two minutes to a two-point win.
The SMS-Boystown will face the Pinamungajan National High School (PNHS) in a best-of-three championship series starting Feb. 10. Both SMS-Boystown and PNHS have secured a spot to the regional finals on March 2 to 3.
Unlike in its first NBTC stint, the SMS-Boystown is still spotless after the semis.
“The first time we joined NBTC, we ended up winless in seven games. That is why we started to participate in various tournaments to gain exposure and those proved to be a huge help for the kids,” SMS-Boystown coach and athletic director Van Halen Parmis said in Cebuano.
Parmis said that last year, they joined the Division 1 competition in NBTC, which was participated by Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. member schools.
“Our participation last year gave us the experience. Aside from NBTC Division 1, we competed in the Municipal Meet and Cviraa (Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association),” he said.
Parmis’ dream now is to bring the kids to the national finals to play against the best in Division 2.
“The goal is to get to Manila. My players’ wish is to be on an airplane and to play in Manila against solid teams in Division 2. Also, we want to gain high morale so that the other players of SMS-Boystown will get motivated,” said Parmis.
The regional finals will be participated by teams from Dumaguete City, Bohol, Mandaue City, and Lapu-Lapu City. The top teams will earn a ticket to the national finals. (RSC)