2017- 2018 STI NBT CHAMPIONS
STI WEST NEGROS UNIVERSITY
The
Return of the King. When the final buzzer sounded last year during the 2016 –
2017 STI National Basketball Tournament Championship game, the reigning champions
STI West Negros were dethroned by a determined STI College Santa Rosa team. In that game, it was evident that the Laguna
based cagers had more firepower than their Bacolod counterparts. This was the
second time that the Bacolod team fell short against the Santa Rosa team.
Renz Solomon brought STI WNU
to greater heights
As
the West Negros team prepared for this season, the three remaining pioneers of
STI WNU’s first NBT team, Renz Solomon, Charry Cadase and Rouichi Belocura
vowed to get back what is rightfully theirs. First stop was beating STI College
Santa Rosa in a highly defensive double overtime game. A day after they got
back their title as they recovered in the nick of time during crunch time to beat
STI College Balagtas 85 – 83 to become the first team to win the NBT twice.
Adjie for two
Renz
Solomon got things going in the first few minutes of the game as he scored twelve
of the first 14 points of STI WNU as he connected on two lay-ups, two free
throws and two three pointers to give the Bacolod team an early 14 – 8 lead in
the first minutes of the game as Solomon outscored the entire STI College
Balagtas team in the early goings of the game. That eventually woke up the
Balagtas defense and triggered their offense as they kept the game close in the
first quarter with STI WNU taking a 23 – 19 lead.
Oraye scores to help his team
get back into the game
STI
West Negros would eventually dictate the tempo in the second quarter as they
opened the 2nd canto with an 11 – 0 run to put the West Negros team
ahead 34 – 19 after three and a half minutes of play. After that, STI College
Balagtas countered with a 12 – 2 run in the next three minutes to come to
within five 36 – 31. Then STI WNU ended the quarter with a 6 – 0 run that had the
West Negros team completely ahead 42 – 31.
Louie Badilles on the fastbreak
Like
what most fans say, Basketball is a game or runs which was evident in the
second half. STI West Negros started off with a 4 – 0 run to make the Bacolod
team completely in command of the game with a 15 point lead 46 – 31 in the 9
minute mark. Acting like true champions, STI College Balagtas fought back again
to erase that fifteen point deficit and tied the count at 52 – all as Jherome
Mulano continued his game long brilliance by scoring 14 big points in that
rally. Belocura then led a 10 – 4 closing run to end the quarter still ahead 62
– 56.
The Mythical 5 (L-R)
Angelito Oraye (Balagtas) Philip Majometano (WNU) Renz Solomon (WNU) Louie Badilles (WNU) Jayson Maglalang (Balagtas)
In
the final canto both teams would try hard not to give each other some breathing
room because of the defense. STI College Balagtas came back to life after STI
WNU threatened to put the game away. Mulano and Oraye punctured the whole from
thereon which resulted in STI College Balagtas cacthing up at 78 – all. It was
at this juncture that the clutch plays
of Rouichi Belocura was witnessed. Belocura sank the game saving three pointer
then Louie Badilles scored on a follow up to put the West Negros team ahead 83 -
78. Solomon would eventually seal the outcome with his free throw after STI
College Balagtas turned the ball over in what would’ve been their game saving
shot.
STI NBT 2017 - 2018 Season MVP
Renz Solomon
The
Return of the King will be hard pressed to repeat next year as King Solomon, Cadase
and Belocura will not be eligible next year. But the trio will always remember
that they brought two titles to STI WNU and will be missed on how they made the
STI WNU the best STI team in the whole country.
for the complete stats of the game please click this link
