NCR bets show way in SCUAA Games

ILAGAN, Isabela – National Capital Region flexed its muscle in nearly all fronts, including the centerpiece sport of basketball, to move into the threshold of winning the overall championship in the 2010 SCUAA National Olympics at the Melanio Singson Sports Complex here Thursday. NCR, composed mostly of athletes from Rizal Technological University, also asserted its mastery in athletics, badminton, dance sports, sepak takraw, taekwondo and table tennis to bolster its title bid in the week-long competition organized by the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC). Basketball produced the biggest moment for NCR, which showed too much class in demolishing Southern Mindanao, 127-90, and Bicol Region, 107-62, to set up a much-awaited semifinal showdown with powerhouse Western Visayas. Goy Bagares, Trim Pagente and Jericho Cruz provided the firepower for NCR, which is represented by the Rizal Technological University Blue Thunder with coach Beaujing Acot and assistant coach Albert Olaya. In athletics, NCR and Southern Tagalog bagged five gold medals each to share the limelight at the close of the competitions. NCR stamped its class in 5,000 meters men, 800 meters men and women, 100 meters hurdle women and javelin throw for women. Southern Tagalog dominated the 100 meters for women, 200 meters men and women, and triple jump men and women. Western Visayas had three golds in 110 meters hurdles for men, 3,000 meter steeplechase for men and 3000 meters women, while Central Luzon and Zamboanga/ARMM had one gold each in 100 meters men and triple jump men, respectively. NCR also struck in women’s badminton, winning over Bicol and Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon, Western Visayas and Southern Tagalog finished 1-2-3 in men’s badminton. In dance sports, NCR finished 1-2 in the Latin dance, while Central Luzon ruled the standard ballroom) over two NCR entries. NCR also dominated the competition in sepak takraw, beating Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Cagayan Valley. Over at the North Star Mall in Alibagu, taekwondo jins Amineth Mabasa, Jessica Ramos and Sandy Canino added more gold medals to NCR’s total harvest. Jaycee Lubo of Isabela State University provided something to cheer about for the host region when he bagged the gold in the men’s taekwondo bantamweight class over Henrick Caramba of CAR. The other notable taekwondo winners were Mark Papa of Central Luzon over Milpert Naroto of NCR in heavyweight men; KC Panes of Centra Mindanao in bantamweight women; and Sarah Jane pendo of CAR in lightweight women. Table tennis hostilities saw NCR eliminate Central Mindanao and Northern Mindanoa dispatch of Southern Tagalog to set up a gold-medal clash in the men’s bracket. In the women’s division, Cagayan Valley advanced to the championship round, along with Eastern Visayas and Southern Tagalog.- KY, RCJ, GMA News