AS THE City High Tigers and Corpus Christi girls dominated the standard basketball event, the Indahag Lady Skyhawks and Lourdes College junior dribblers lorded it over in 3 on 3 event of the 2019 South District Meet concluded, over the weekend, at the Nazareth gym in Cagayan de Oro City.
The Indahag Skyhawks, crippled by the recruitment of their talent pool by Manila-based universities, however, continued to soar high in besting the 3-on-3 field that included the mighty Corpus Christi School.
“Kusog gihapon ang Indahag pero kulang na ilang saligando sa standard event kay gipang-recruit na sa Manila,” one Department of Education instructor was overheard as saying.
Sustaining the legacy of coach Rey-Cris Dangcal, his nephew and aspiring cage mentor Rodre Dangcal Oponda guided the Lourdes College juniors in snaring a spot for the City District Meet to be slated later this month at same venue.
In the semifinals, Lourdes College defeated the City High Tigers, 14-10 and went to topple the Corpus Christi Knights, 8-6 in the championship game with its star player Tom Ocampo leading the charge.
“Na-sustain gayud ni coach Rodre ang winning habit ni coach Rey nga nag-montar starting with the college varsity team of Lourdes College some 10 years ago,” one observer said of Rey-Cris Dangcal, the now multi-titled coach of the Southern Philippine College (SPC) Sharks who recently accepted the challenge to lead the sports program of his hometown El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental.
Meanwhile, the Corpus Christi ladies of coach Catrina June Pong-Biongcog vented their ire in conquering the separate 3-on-3 tourney organized by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas in nearby Tagoloan town.
Composed of Ryzylla Lubrico, Giordana Tagarda, Margarette Villanueva and Xaniah Ebajay, the Lady Knights won over Team LGU Villanueva in the final.
Corpus Christi’s second team made up of Aishe Solis, Pauline Valle, Cheska Edulan, and Mikylla Taborada settled for second runner-up.
They will also compete in the regional finals set on September 21 in Iligan City.
The Corpus ladies, beefed up by selected players from Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School, made a record-setting feat when they finished undefeated, 8-0 in winning the basketball team gold of the 2019 Batang Pinoy National Finals in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
“Gipangkapoy gikan sa Palawan. Proud kaayo ko sa mga bata kay kombate gihapon sila sa South District Meet ug SBP 3-on-3 tournament,” coach Pong-Biongcog told SunStar Cagayan de Oro.