MANILA – Santa Clarita International School Primes ruled the Chooks To Go-SM National Basketball Training Center-Iloilo leg via a 112-91 win over St. Robert’s International Academy Panda Rockets in the finals on Thursday at the Western Institute of Technology Gym.
Franc Steven Tono recovered from poor shooting in the first half to finish with 33 points, including six triples, for the Primes.
He was also named as the leg’s Most Outstanding Player.
Ralph Bajon added 27 markers while Jemar Cepriano, Kim Rey Servano and Gian Paul Nahine added 19, 14 and 12 points, respectively.
With the win, Primes will represent Iloilo in the NBTC Regional Finals on Feb. 24 in Capiz.
From a slim 30-25 lead at the end of first quarter, the Primes slowly created distance from the Panda Rockets in the second frame behind Bajon, Cepriano and Servano for a 54-45 halftime score.
The Primes pulled away further in the third canto with Tono dropping 20 points for a 93-75 advantage before widening it further to 20s in the fourth with Tono unloading 10 more points.
Also part of the Rodel Camacho-mentored Primes were Myer Refugio, Wilmer Dalumpines, Kenth Lindero, Louwelle Cabasag, Nayr Sacorin, Earl Tan, Chino Palis, Paul Gabriel Fallarco, Jhames Yap, and Mon Alfred Pedrajas.
For the losing Panda Rockets, Wilfredo Dinate tallied 22 markers while Dexter Hans Gange and Kent John Parreñas added 13 and 12 markers, respectively.
BOX SCORE
STA CLARITA 112 – Tono 33, Bajon 27, Cepriano 19, Servano 14, Nahine 12, Dalumpines 6, Fallarco 1, Pedrajas 0, Yap 0.
- ROBERT’S 91 – Dinate 22, Gange 13, Parrenas 12, Pendon 11, Pantin 10, Atanas 6, Dinson 5, Jacinto 5, Villarosa 4, Verdeflor 3.
Quarterscores: 30-25, 54-45, 93-75, 112-91./PN
