Two weeks ago, Davao Eagles head coach Jess Linus Evangelio made a bold declaration. He called his Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) boys “history-makers” and dared to dream of gold in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa.
On Friday, May 30, that dream became reality.
The Eagles soared past Western Visayas (WVRAA) with a convincing 67–51 victory in the finals of the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, clinching the Davao Region Athletic Association’s (Davraa) first-ever gold medal in secondary boys’ basketball—finally breaking through after five painful silver finishes.
They didn’t just win. They made history.
Jhonmark Peligrino and Rene Clert Baterbonia lit up the scoreboard with 19 points each, igniting a second-half run that pushed Davao firmly ahead. Even with a standout performance from WVRAA ace guard Luke Rose, the Eagles stayed locked in and never relinquished control. Baterbonia’s stellar play earned him Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors and a spot on the mythical five.
(We are truly blessed that Davao is finally a champion)," Evangelio told SunStar Davao via Messenger. "So hoping na ma-motivate ang mga Dabawenyos na hindi magmadali to transfer to Manila teams kasi may future tayo sa Davao (I hope this inspires our young Dabawenyos not to rush into joining Manila teams. There’s a future in Davao)."
The journey to gold wasn’t easy. Evangelio said the team endured four-hour daily training sessions to prepare. With 11 core players from Ateneo and three reinforcements, building chemistry during training posed challenges—but the boys rose to meet them.
Representing AdDU are Rhysus Rafael Bajenting, Aaron Joash Bayanban, Raissen Boholano, Matt Jerrick Cayetano, Sebastian Delica, Aeron Luague, Jhon Mark Peligrino, Justin Andre Cesar Redulla, and Wess Vincent Tavita. Michael Brendon Biyo from the Philippine Academy of Sakya, Edvil Christian Mundas from Holy Child College of Davao, and John Mark Sanoria from the Davao del Norte Regional Sports Academy reinforced the team.
"Super overwhelming ang panalong ito (This win is super overwhelming)," Evangelio added, crediting his players for pouring everything they had into every game.
Baterbonia echoed his coach’s pride. "Magaan sa pakiramdam na kami ang first na Davao team na naka-champion sa Palaro sa basketball secondary boys (It feels amazing to be the first team from Davao to win the Palaro basketball championship)."
The Davao Eagles entered the finals, unbeaten in six games. They dominated the eliminations with a 4-0 sweep, thrashing WVRAA (67-55), Ilocos Region (72-69), Barmm (133-53), and Mimaropa (102-26). In the quarterfinals, they cruised past Northern Mindanao (76-48) and edged Central Luzon in a nail-biting 66-65 semifinal finish.
"The semis tested our character," Evangelio reflected. "It came down to heart, to the winning culture we’ve built. Excellence became a habit for us—every possession, every play."
A member of the 2010 Davraa secondary boys’ team in the Tarlac Palaro, Evangelio has now helped lead Davao to a golden breakthrough he once chased as a player. This time, he watched it unfold from the sidelines—with a team that believed, battled, and finally, delivered. MLSA