THE Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts came out a solid performance as it swept Bracket B to earn the top spot in the group and secure a semifinals berth in the ongoing 2020 National Basketball Training Center Regional Qualifiers played at the Ibajay Social Hall in Ibajay, Aklan.
Playing on its first group match against Guimaras’ Buenavista National High School, the Bacolod leg champions opened the first quarter with a commanding ten-point lead forcing Guimaras to call an early time-out in the fifth minute of the match. Guimaras succeeded to slightly cut the deficit following that time-out which also forced Tay Tung coach Ronald Despi to ask a quick timeout just a minute later.
Following that short reminder from Despi, the Tay Tung then slowly pulled away and never looked back as they dominated the game with a well-balanced scoring led by Josh Joaquin Luciano with 15 points and Andy John Villamer with 13 markers as Henjz Gabriel Demisana, Ralph Allen Cagalawan, Fritz Valencia and Kent Justin Esparagoza adding ten points apiece.
Also helped out providing some bodies inside the paint are Ditter Ilalto and Benedick Gulmatico, who also contributed a combined 11 points, as Nathan Jan added seven points while Joseph Palaganas and John Mark Mercado have six points apiece, and Jules Sean Wong shot five markers as Tay Tung demolished Buenavista, 104-46.
In the other match, the Thunderbolts had some tough challenges from Capiz’s Hercor College which put up a great performance in the first half before they slowly collapsed on their offensive flow in the next 20 minutes of the game.
Tay Tung had an overwhelming performance in the second half to book a 92-71 victory.
Villamer, named as “player of the game”, led Tay Tung with game-high 19 points including a triple as Luciano and Demisana added nine points each while Ilalto has eight points while Gumatico and Esparagoza added seven points each, and Cagalawan with four points.
Tay Tung will face the home team of Melchor Memorial School, Inc. while Iloilo’s St. Robert’s International Academy takes Hercor College of Capiz in the other semis face-off.