STA. TERESA National High School moved closer to ruling the Guimaras leg of the National Basketball Training Center after a 73-70 win over Guimaras State College in Game 1 of the finals on Wednesday at the Sta. Teresa Gym in Jordan, Guimaras.
June Michael Adorador led the way with 19 points for the Sta. Teresa National High, which can capture the championship with a victory in Game 2 on Jan. 15 at the Guimaras State College Gym.
Both teams traded hits early in the game for a slim 16-15 advantage by Guimaras State at the end of first period. Sta. Teresa countered with a huge run in the second canto for a 42-31 halftime lead.
Guimaras State, however, kept it a close match in the second half by chopping into the double-digit advantage by Sta. Teresa but the latter came up with clutch baskets in the fourth period to escape with a slim win.
Ajie Ferrer, Mark Kevin Gison and Jhon Evans Ramos each finished with 16 points for the Guimaras State, which is hoping to force a do-or-die Game 3 tentatively scheduled next week.
The winner of the Sta. Teresa National High and Guimaras State best-of-three championship series will move on to the NBTC regionals against the winner of the Iloilo leg for a chance to play in the National Finals in Manila this summer./PN
