Nokia RP Youth Campaigners
Von Pessumal, Paolo Romero and Kieffer Ravena
chose the Best Muse from STI College Global City
It was billed as the battle of the runner ups. Since DLS-STI E.Rodriguez did not join this year, 2009 1st Runner Up STI College Balagtas and 2008 1st Runner Up STI College Santa Rosa are two of the favorites that are billed to slug it out this year. After their sorry 2008 loss to the DLS-STI squad, the Santa Rosa dribblers beefed up their line up by recruiting young guns and had fruitful campaigns in their own area. Back to lead the team are the vastly improved point guard Winston Balmaceda and the hard nosed forward John Batisan.
John Batisan fouled hard
On the other hand, STI College Balagtas lost steam in the finals after sweeping the eliminations. Back in their line up are two young campaigners who did well in the 9th Season of the NAASCU 18 year old Cedric Ablaza and 20 year old Paulo Villadoz. Both forwards will stamp their class among the other teams who are vying to break the 5 year dominance of DLS-STI. Add to that two more big guns in Patrick Pascual and Chowking Yee then you have a formidable squad.
Mid-air action
The 10th STI Basketball showdown opened at the Rizal Coliseum with eight STI Teams heeding the call for the STI Basketball program. Besides the two schools mentioned , last year's third placer STI College Global City, fourth placer STI College Quezon Ave. who have also beefed up their line ups looks to crowd the two favored teams. Other teams include STI College Taft which is the only other holdover with three new teams joining the fray, STI College Marikina and returnees STI College Muñoz and STI College Novaliches.
Cedric Ablaza could not do it all
STI College Santa Rosa worked overtime from start to finish as they won the battle of the runner ups with a convincing 74 - 63 win over 2009 1st runner-up STI College Balagtas. The Laguna based cagers had their biggest lead of 30 points back in the second quarter 45-15. Summoning the strength that made them sweep the eliminations last year, the Bulacan based dribblers staged a comeback that cut the lead to only 9 points. Newly recruited Olympian Cedric Ablaza arrived in the fourth quarter to jumpstart the comeback but his end game heroics was not enough to overcome the Santa Rosa lead.
Leguin with a lay in
Other opening day winners include STI College Global City winning over STI College Taft 84 - 53, STI College Quezon Ave. winning over STI College Munoz 78 -49 and STI College Marikina beating STI College Novaliches 87 - 67.
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