CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu teams representing Central Visayas (Region 7) in the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Pambansang Tatluhan National Finals got off to a blazing start as the tournament tipped off on Saturday, August 10, at SM North Edsa in Manila.
The defending champions in the girls’ division, Abellana National School (ANS), made an emphatic statement in their quest to retain the title, securing two crucial victories on opening day.
In their first matchup, ANS showcased their grit with a nail-biting 12-11 victory over SOCKSARGEN (Region 12).
READ: ANS starts title retention bid in SBP 3×3 nationals
Grace Sumalinog led the charge, contributing four points along with one assist and one steal.
Zaydhen Rosano was a force on the boards, grabbing nine rebounds while adding three points, one assist, and one steal.
Nadine Labay had a well-rounded performance as she chipped in two points, two blocks, a steal, and an assist.
READ: Abellana National School clinches back-to-back BPBL titles
Gail Cañada rounded out the effort for ANS with two points, five rebounds, and one steal.
For SOCKSARGEN, Denise Sancho and Jewel Villarta both put up four points in a valiant, yet ultimately unsuccessful effort.
ANS followed up their initial win with a dominant 19-10 victory over Cagayan Valley (Region 2).
READ: ANS coach on BPBL Nat’l Finals campaign: A learning experience for the team
Labay continued her impressive form, leading the team with seven points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Cañada matched Labay’s scoring with seven points of her own, while also pulling down seven boards and dishing out two assists.
Rosano added five points, six rebounds, and four steals to complete a balanced attack that overwhelmed Cagayan Valley.
Cagayan Valley’s Gwenn Espanto and Kate Caronan each tallied four points in the losing effort.
USPF vs Zamboanga Peninsula
Meanwhile, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers secured a 12-9 victory against Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9).
Davidson Brigoli led USPF with six points, complemented by two assists, two rebounds, and two steals.
Marcus Lozano contributed five points and five rebounds, while Lance Lacerna added a point under the guidance of head coach John Cabahug.
Zion Solon of Zamboanga Peninsula put up a commendable effort with seven points, but it wasn’t enough to avoid defeat.