Abellana National School players and coaching staff pose for a photo during the awarding ceremony. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Abellana National School (ANS) secondary girls basketball team dominated the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Pambansang Tatluhan National Finals on Sunday, August 11, at the SM North Edsa in Manila.
This victory further cemented ANS’s reputation as a powerhouse in Philippine girls’ high school basketball.
The team, which previously retained their title at the Batang Pilipino Basketball League (BPBL) National Finals and earned a silver medal at the Palarong Pambansa, showcased their dominance once again.
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Sunday’s championship game was fiercely contested against their rivals, the National University (NU) Nazareth School Lady Bullpups. In a nail-biting finish, ANS emerged victorious with a slim 12-11 win, avenging their earlier loss to NU in the gold medal match of the Palarong Pambansa.
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Prestigious win
Head coach Darwin Dinoy led ANS, representing Central Visayas, to this prestigious win.
Nadine Labay, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), led ANS with seven points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Gail Cañada contributed three points, six rebounds, and an assist, while Zaydhen Rosano added two points, seven rebounds, three assists, and four steals.
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NU’s KJ Badajos was the top scorer for her team with seven points, complemented by three rebounds and three steals. Zuzanne Singson scored three points, and Brooklyn Sanchez added one.
ANS began the game with a strong lead, going up by as many as six points. Despite a fierce comeback from NCR, ANS held their ground and clinched the win by a single point.
Earlier in the tournament, ANS defeated Region 10 with a score of 13-6 and Region 5 with a 17-7 victory, completing a perfect run through the tournament with six straight wins.