The Colegio de Sta. Ana de Victorias (CSAV) Titans held on denying a game tying 3 in the crucial seconds to capture their 4th basketball championship against the STI-WNU Mustangs 74-71 at the Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural Educational Association (NOPSSCEA) Season 42 finals at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City, Sunday, April 2.
The crowd filled the USLS Coliseum early with Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and his girlfriend, actress Sue Ramirez, cheering for the Titans.
The anticipated championship Game 3 between the Mustangs and Titans was earlier cancelled due to overcrowding.
But the game started slow for both teams as Cyrill Tenecio scored the first 2 points for the Mustangs after 5 minutes of the 1st quarter.
Despite the intense defensive closeouts from the Mustangs the duo of Shane Dichoso and Reynold Tupas managed to weave through the defense and took the first quarter for the Titans 17-15.
Aldave Canoy, a former Mustangs member, along with Axle Pasaol pounded the Mustangs by converting offensive rebounds leaving an 8-point lead for the Titans 40-32 at the half.
However, the Mustangs maintained the closeouts and rallied into the start of the 3rd quarter with Dave Agbas cutting the Titan’s lead by 6 after a series of forced turnovers.
Highflyer and chasedown block specialist Wine Fernandez along with Austine Laureño took the lead for the Mustangs 51-49 before the latter sat out with 2:55 minutes remaining before end of the 3rd quarter due to a cut in the head after colliding with a Titan.
Failing to keep the Titans at bay, the trio of Canoy, Dichoso and Tupas charged to take the lead away from the Mustangs 65-64 with 2:39 minutes left at the 4th quarter.
The Mustangs managed to inch closer with 71-74, even forcing a turnover in the crucial 11.9 seconds.
But the Titans held on blocking a game tying three to make their way to their fourth consecutive championship.
“This is for our seniors set to graduate. They motivate us for this win, can’t describe much how I feel,” said Dichoso, who was chosen the Most Valuable Player for the NOPSSCEA Season 42 basketball finals game.
The CSAV volleyball men’s team also won the NOPSSCEA championship versus the USLS team on March 19.*