By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The spotlight turned to the championship stage as the NBTC Negros Island Local Qualifying Tournament, with Central Negros crowning its cluster champion and North and South Negros inching closer to their own title showdowns.

In Central Negros, the weekend culminated in a tightly contested championship game between Bacolod Tay Tung High School and CSAV-Titans.

After a physical and fast-paced final, CSAV-Titans pulled away late to secure a 62-57 victory and claim the Central Negros Cluster championship.

Earlier in the semifinals, CSAV-Titans booked their finals berth with a dominant run that included a 95-33 rout of Shockwave Basketball, while Bacolod Tay Tung High School advanced after maintaining its strong form throughout the eliminations, capped by an 85-61 win over La Salle – Bacolod to earn the top seed.

The battle for third place also drew attention, as LCC-B Davies El Tzino closed its campaign with an emphatic 86-54 win over RGG Farm.

While Central Negros celebrated its championship, North Negros produced playoff-level games that hinted at an approaching championship clash.

Team Calatrava Basketball survived Cadiz City Dukes, 66-65, EBM Tumandok defeated Victorias City, 78-68, and Talisay Notre Dame outlasted One Silay, 88-86, keeping the title race wide open heading into the semifinals on Saturday, January 31.

In South Negros, contenders continued to position themselves for a championship run.

Pintok Tigers-Binalbagan stayed in contention with a 72-68 win over MMBC, while Bleacher Sports Bar Team A strengthened its bid with a convincing 97-71 victory against Sipalay City.

With the semifinals set for February 1, the South Negros title remains up for grabs.

With Central Negros already decided and championship games looming in North and South Negros, the NBTC Negros Island qualifiers have entered their decisive stretch, as teams vie for the right to represent their clusters in the NBTC Visayas Regional Championships in Dumaguete City from February 10 to 14./ASC, WDJ