THE Ateneo de Davao University (Addu) Blue Knights-Unit 6 and Holy Child College of Davao (HCCD) Red Eagles-Unit 7 successfully defended their gold medals in contrasting fashions at the close of the Davao City Athletic Association (Dcaa) Meet 2019 elementary and secondary boys basketball competitions in separate venues in Davao City Friday, November 22.
Blue Knights, coached by Harry Hipolito, toyed with the hapless Matina Central Elementary School-Unit 3, 65-35, at Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School (Dranhs), to retain the elementary boys basketball title, their third since 2016.
Hipolito earlier said their “trapping defense clicks and offense” would be the key to defend the championship.
He also said that they would only have two reinforcements for the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2020 - Jiriel Zach Castardo of MCES-Unit3 and Jamilo Sotero of Magallanes Elementary School.
“Pero sa January pa siguro kami start ng intensive training. For now, focus muna dito sa local leagues,” he told Sun.Star Davao in a Facebook interview.
Unit 6 also routed Unit 7, 78-37, after outlasting Unit 1, 57-55 and crushing Unit 8, 69-40, and Unit 4, 80-28, in the past games.
John Brendan and Jake Brendan Alpapara, Al-zaki Ameer O. Sangki, Theodore Emmanuel G. Zamora,
Julian Joaquin L. Garcia, Heaven S. Pigar, Astin Parker P. Sañano, Oscar Reynald C. Geraldo, Rowe Isaac Tavita, Angelo James Jesuro, Jalf C. Pitulan and Gian Matthew A. Bullecer powered Unit 6’s feat.
Over at the Holy Cross of Davao College (HCDC) Gym, the Red Eagles came from behind to edge perennial rival Davao Jones Academy (DJA)-Unit 8, 85-82, in their secondary boys basketball titular showdown.
Trailing from five points at half time, the Nestor Sorrosa-mentored Unit 7 crawled back in the game to snatch a 67-65 lead in the third period.
Sorrosa, in a phone interview, said, “Sa height pa lang lupig nami. Nalipay ko gwapo ilang dula mura pug beterano. Ang kalaban namo kusog. Dula ra jud mi sa among dula. Ang mga bata naningkamot pud. Dili mi katuo madaug pa mi sa mga dagko nga kalaban (We were inferior in height. I’m happy that the boys played like veterans. Our rivals were strong. We just played our brand of game. The kids were also determined. We can’t just believe we won over a bigger team).”
Aeron Jeswill Awe canned 19 points to lead scoring for Unit 7 while Kyle Francis Jamora and Victor Joshua Bedoya made identical seven.
Unit 7 was also composed of John Carl Aballe, Philip Miguel Anasco, James Belicario, Kerk Cadayona, Raven Gumban, John Orac, Dave Solon, Axl Taporco and Ryan Villasenda. (MLSA)