CEBU’S Khalifa-ANS Sports and Iloilo’s St. Roberts International College (SRIC)-Elite Lab will leave Negros Island with berths to the 2024 Smart-NBTC National Finals presented by SM Supermalls.
Negrenses UNBL-Don Bosco of Dumaguete and Trinity-Davies Paint/El Tzino of Central Negros complete the cast, with all four teams proving to be the cream of the crop of the Visayas Regional Championship (RC).
Emmanuel Catalan was the only player in double-digits for UNBL-Don Bosco, and it was defense that pushed and kept the Greywolves ahead en route to a 54-40 decision. Trinity, on the other hand, was paced by Most Outstanding Player frontrunner John Loyd Martinez who was backstopped by Austin John Braganza in the 78-65 win.
STI West Negros University-Nzane and Bacolod Tay Tung High School actually had a chance to make it an all-Negros affair, but were rebuffed by Khalifa-ANS Sports, 63-75, and SRIC-Elite Lab, 48-72, respectively.
Judd Kyle Rueda and Peter John Peteros fronted the effort for the Cebuanos, while the Ilonggos’ attack was spearheaded by Justin Rafael Cargo and Rengie Ecarma.
The last four teams standing will still clash in the semifinals and then final on Sunday at Willy and Nolita Au Court inside Tay Tung. They, however, have already secured spots in the National Finals by virtue of being the best of the best in Visayas’ 16-team field.
