By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts ruled the 1st United Basketball League Aspirants Basketball Cup 2023 after a 71-52 rout of STI-West Negros University (WNU) Mustangs in the finals at the Bacolod Tay Tung Gym in Bacolod City on Saturday night, March 4.

Adrian James Alagaban spearheaded the offense with 19 points, with 15 coming in the first two quarters, as the Thunderbolts completed a perfect 10-0 run in the tournament, including a semifinals win over University of St. La Salle (USLS).

Ahjon John Cagayao and Dave Matthew Recodo also hit double-digits with 12 and 11 markers, respectively, while Francis Lamasan and Alfred Ysulan, Jr. combined for 16 points for the Yong Despi-mentored Thunderbolts.

Alagaban was later named as tournament MVP as he joined teammate Recodo, Mustangs’ Kyle Matthew Barrieta, St. John’s Institute’s Santino Loretizo and USLS’ John Troy Newman in the Mythical Team.

Recodo and Alagaban made their presence felt early in the opening quarter as they combined for 11 points as the Thunderbolts surged to a slim 20-16 lead over the Mustangs, which got nine markers from Barrieta.

The Thunderbolts started to pull away in the second quarter with Alagaban exploding for 10 points and Recodo chipping in five as they outscored the Mustangs, 21-9, for a 41-25 halftime lead.

Bacolod Tay Tung widened the gap further in the third quarter as Lamasan unloaded all of his nine markers in the period as they established a huge 57-37 lead over the STI-WNU.

The scoring slowed down for both teams in the fourth quarter, with the Thunderbolts managing 14 points, with eight combined from Alagaban and Cagayao, while Mustang scored only 13.

“It was a total team effort by my players since the start of the tournament,” Despi said.

“I am delighted that all our hard work in training has paid off. This championship inspires us to keep working hard and continue improving,” he added.

Barrieta, a transferee from the Bacolod Tay Tung during the summer, was the lone double-digit scorer for the Mustangs with 13 points, while Brent Jandy Yanong was held to just seven markers.

TAY TUNG 71 — Alagaban 19, Cagayao 12, Recodo 11, Lamasan 9, Ysulan 7, Uy 5, Chuatico 4, Onate 4, Pimentel 0, Morada 0, Taronas 0.

STI-WNU 52 — Barrieta 13, Yanong 7, Sto. Tomas 7, Gonzales 6, Bayog 4, Rebadomia 4, Nardo 3, Gomacal 2, Marindoque 2, Salgado 2, Balibagoso 0.

Quarterscores: 20-16, 41-25, 57-37, 71-52./ASC, WDJ