The ANS girls basketball team coaches and players pose with BPBL Region 7 officials during the awarding. | BPBL photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The formidable Abellana National School (ANS) girls basketball team will return to the national finals of the Batang Pilipino Basketball League (BPBL).
This was after ANS outlasted the Tayud Linao Ballers of Liloan, north Cebu, 36-31, in the BPBL Region VII women’s category championships on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at the Capitol Parish gymnasium, here.
Thus, the ANS girls basketball team, the reigning BPBL National Finals champions, will head to Manila again to defend their title after defeating an equally determined Tayud squad.
READ: Region 7’s ANS girls hoops squad are the queens of BPBL grand finals in Manila
Degamo MVP
Althea Therese Degamo, the eventual “Most Valuable Player” of the BPBL Region VII, led ANS with nine points in Sunday’s huge win over Tayud.
Chloe Marie Ragas added six points, while Jessa Banquil and Mary Grace Sumalinog each scored five points. Althea Bojos, Jessica Tenebro, Nadine Labay, and Zaydhen Rosano combined for 11 points for ANS.
Meanwhile, Tayud’s Mhariko Gullim spoiled her 16-point outing after Tayud’s loss, while Cyrene Mansueto and Khristel Talisic combined for 10 points.
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BPBL Champions
It can be recalled that last January, the ANS girls basketball team became the inaugural champions of the BPBL National Finals girls under-18.
This was after they defeated Region 10’s Cagayan de Oro, 43-36, in the championship match held at the San Juan gymnasium in Metro Manila.
They didn’t just win the national title, but also pocketed P300,000 champion’s purse.
After that, they went on to bag the silver medal in the Palarong Pambansa last July in Marikina City.
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