MONUMENTAL UPSET
Members of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu celebrate at the Meralco gym after winning over San Beda in the finals of the NBTC Nationals.
(Contributed)
All these years, there was the San Beda Red Cubs and then, there was everybody else.
In one fell swoop, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) changed all that and showed everyone that the country’s best young cagers resided down south.
The Magis Eagles claimed the 2015 Seaoil-National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) National High School Championship crown after beating the powerhouse Red Cubs, 82-78, in the finals yesterday afternoon at the Meralco Gym.
The Magis Eagles trailed, 2-18, early on but summoned the intestinal fortitude, not to mention the firepower from Finals Best Player Janjan Jaboneta who scored eight points during crunchtime, including two triples that helped overhaul a 51-59 deficit at the end of the third, to pull the rug from under the Bedans.
After scoring a measly four points in their semifinal loss to Chiang Kai Shek College late Saturday afternoon, Jaboneta awoke from his slumber and fired in 27 points on top of seven rebounds and two assists to fortify his reputation as one of the country’s best high school players.
Fil-Australian forward Joshua Sinclair, who was named as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and its Best Defensive Player, pumped in 15 points, 17 rebounds, three assists and two steals even as University of Santo Tomas-bound Zachy Huang added 14 markers, eight boards and three assists.
Aside from Sinclair, also making it to the tournament’s Mythical Five was his teammate Daniel Mayol. They were joined by San Beda’s Andrei Caracut, National University’s Mark Dyke and CKSC’s JV Gallego.
Andrei Caracut and Norish Decapia led San Beda with 17 points apiece. Nico Abatayo added 12 while former University of the Visayas juniors player Chami Diputado had 11 but didn’t play in the second half because of an injury.
San Beda had the inside track on the title as they took control in the third to turn a 42-38 halftime lead into an eight-point bulge, 59-51, heading to the last stanza, until the Magis Eagles came alive.