ANS secondary girls basketball team players, coaching staff and supporters pose for a group photo. | by Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Abellana National School (ANS) and Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons dominated the hardcourt in the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) after winning the gold medal in the basketball events for the host delegation and defending champions, Cebu City Niños on Wednesday, May 8, in separate venues.
The ANS remained the queens of the hardcourt after retaining their title in the secondary girls 5×5 basketball competition at the University of San Carlos (USC) North Campus gymnasium. They routed Bohol Province 67-43 in their gold medal match earlier today.
Meanwhile, CEC topped the secondary boys 3×3 basketball competition at their homecourt on the CEC campus. They put on a lopsided outing against Negros Oriental, winning 20-9 to clinch the gold medal.
CEC Dragons 3×3 team with their coaching staff. | CVIRAA photo
It was easy work for the ANS girls after sweeping all their scheduled games from day 1 to the gold medal match.
Powering ANS’ win over Bohol Province was a group of rookies and veterans under the tutelage of head coach Darwin Dinoy.
Three of his players who propelled the team to winning the gold medal are selectees of the Gilas Pilipinas Youth team, which is scheduled for a series of international tournaments in the coming months. They are Zaydhen Rosano, Jesrica Tenebro, and Nadine Labay.
Even before the competition, ANS was the most feared competitor in the CVIRAA secondary girls’ basketball, the silver medalist in last year’s Palarong Pambansa in Marikina City after losing to the National University (NU) Lady Bullpups.
“Duna tay mga experiences sa Palarong Pambansa nga ato gyud nagamit para ani atong duwa sa CVIRAA. Duna pud tay mga players nahabilin gikan ato nga line-up nga nakatabang sa pag padaog nato aning gold medal. Ni step up pud atong mga bag-o nga players, ” said Dinoy whose team will be defending their U18 girls national title of the Batang Pilipino Basketball League (BPBL) later this year.
“Karon mas prepared mi sa Palarong Pambansa. Mas nindot ug stamina atong players compared last year kay nag sige nami ug train outdoors.”
DRAGONS CLINCH GOLD
Meanwhile, the CEC Dragons towed their team to winning the gold medal in the secondary boys’ 3×3 basketball tilt.
The team was comprised of seasoned guard Lybron James Lamo, Andrey Roa, Zandrie Autentico, and Joffer Bolofer. At the same time, the head coach was Rodmark Del Rosario, Dax Alicaba, and Karenrick De la Cerna, while Mark Tallo was the team consultant.
It was a huge bounce-back win for the CEC Dragons after finishing with a bronze medal in last year’s CVIRAA meet in Carcar City.
Cebu City clinched a resounding victory in the Secondary Boys 3×3 Basketball Gold match, outscoring Negros Oriental by a staggering 20-9. The spotlight was stolen by none other than Lybron James Lamo, whose unparalleled prowess on the court was instrumental in securing the gold for Cebu City.
On the other hand, Cebu City’s secondary boys’ 5×5 team, manned by the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) Season 23 first runners-up, the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers, edged the City of Bogo 66-55 to cruise into the semifinals at the USC Main Campus gymnasium, also on Wednesday.
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