By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Hua Siong College of Iloilo Red Phoenix are once again kings of the ILOPRISAA secondary boys’ basketball tournament after taking down the St. Robert’s International College, 79-62, in the championship game last March 29, 2023, held at the University of San Agustin main gym, Iloilo City.
After a back-and-forth first half, the Red Phoenix squad started to pull away midway through the third quarter after scoring at will inside the shaded lane.
Hua Siong survived a big blow after superstar point guard Thomas Pillado was ejected from the game when he was called for an unsportsmanlike foul.
Stepping up in the absence of Pillado in the second half is efficient two-way backcourt general Jid Locsin who torched St. Robert’s with his relentless and fearless attacks to the basket.
Amiel Dema-ala, Hua Siong’s deadly shooter who helped Hua Siong extend its lead to double digits during their semifinal encounter against St. Robert’s, also balled out in the championship game after draining timely three-pointers everytime the John Guanco-led squad made a run.
St. Robert’s fought hard in keeping the game close during the fifth-minute mark of the third canto through the efforts of JP Gaspillo and Erlance Pedrita but Hua Siong countered again with their paint-scoring to balloon the lead back to double digits heading into the final frame.
Locsin’s playmaking and aggressive drives to the basket in the final 10 minutes propelled the red and white nation to a comfortable fourth-quarter lead matched with their gang rebounding.
Their nose for the boards then rewarded them with several possessions to reset with their offensive executions that helped them score more points in the crucial fourth quarter of the gold medal game.
With the huge victory, the Red Phoenix ended the 2023 ILOPRISAA boys’ secondary hoops competition without a single loss and swept St. Robert’s in the tournament.
Congratulations and good luck to the next round, Hua Siong!
