IT HAD no entry in elementary, but a thrilling win in secondary boys final and a masterly handling over the Corpus Christi ladies had paved the way for Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS) to rule the 3rd Season of the Cagayan de Oro Inter-Public Schools Basketball Championships.
The MOGCHS Cavaliers escaped with a nail-biting 63-62 win over the City High Tigers (CDO-NHS) to nail the 17-under boys title, while the lady Cavs dumped Corpus Christi, 50-40 in high school girls final to emerge as the winningest school in this year's inter-public hoopfest concluded on March 17 at the Nazareth gym here.
Sharing the spotlight with the mighty MOGCHS are the Xavier University Grade School and the Cagayan de Oro National High School.
The XUGS boys overcame City Central School (CCS) Stingers in a closely-fought battle, 47-44 for the elementary crown.
While the City High Tigers avenged their heart-breaking loss in the 17-under level by crushing Agusan High, 73-54 in the 15-under boys championship.
“We had another successful basketball season to celebrate and in the ensuing finals adunay mga promising talents na usab nga nakita sa mga scouts nga mohimo unya'g pangalan puhon for Cagayan de Oro in the big time leagues,” said tournament overseer Raul Fuentes.
Christian Cagas delivered 15 points, while the backcourt tandem of Carlos John Barol and Daniel James Palle added 14 markers each to lead MOGCHS' one-point victory over City High also fortified by the 12-point contribution of most improved John Carlo Datangel.
Cagas bagged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) as their mentor Jayson Cagmat was adjudged as best coach.
Joining Barol and Palle in the Mythical 5 are City High's Ryner John Ano-os, fellow forward Josh Montecalvo and center John Castil.
Budding forward Ano-os erupted for 31 points in the City High Tigers' titular defeat.
MVP Prezzy Añana sizzled for 14 points in the lady Cavs' conquest of the Corpus Christi cage belles of popular coach Catrina June Pong-Biongcog.
Princess Peñalosa, Rubelyn Guno and Chesca Apag reinforced MOGCHS with a combined 23. Corpus Christi got 10 and 9 each from Aisse Solis and Candy Ceilo. With them in the Mythical 5 is Indahag forward Angelica Jane Somo.
In the elementary final, Xavier U's troika of Arian Mangalos , Joseph Serra and Agustin Pajo scattered out 12, 9 and 8 points apiece to counter City Central's 1-2 combo of David Franz Balmeo and Carlos Medel who finished with 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Mangalos went on to claim the MVP, while East City Central's Asi Ljovic Decatoria and West City Central's Ram Jared Mangubat joined Pajo, Medel and Balmeo in the Mythical 5.
Explosive forward Al Joshua Arcillas turned as the hands-down 15-under boys MVP when he poured in 22 for City High's lopsided triumph against Agusan National High School.
Best coach Bismark Labadan also drew 12, 9 and 7 points from Von Russel Rosete, Marc Irvin Tagocon and most improved Vince Leomar Roloque.
Agusan High's Gray Patrick Sabonod and Rex Elihu Alcover dished out 18 markers each to join Tagocon and Rosete as well as Indahag center John Kenneth Martinez for the under-15's Mythical 5.