THE National University Nazareth School (NUNS) scored a similarly convincing victory against top-tier rivals to claim the crown in the NBA Rising Stars Invitational Philippines Qualifiers presented by Gatorade over the weekend at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The NUNS Lady Bulldogs pulled off a 107-49 demolition win against La Salle College Antipolo (LSCA), while their counterparts got off to a hot start in trashing the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Tiger Cubs, 101-75.
“The Rising Stars Invitational is a good first step, especially for girls’ basketball. It’s another tournament for teams to look forward to. Some girls get demotivated by not having enough tournaments to prepare and practice for, so I’m very thankful for the NBA and NBA Philippines for doing this,” said NUNS Lady Bullpups head coach Camilla Escoto.
Zuzzane Singson led the Lady Bulldogs with 16 points and 18 rebounds as NUNS outscored their rivals, 22-0, en route to a one-sided win. Singson was later named the Most Valuable Player. The NU boys completed a twill with Gatorade boys MVP Shaun Luciso and Rob Geliz combined for 49 points.
The NUNS junior squads will represent the country in the NBA Rising Stars Invitational, the league’s first regional high-school basketball tournament, which will feature boys’ and girls’ teams from 11 countries and territories across Asia-Pacific competing in Singapore from June 25-29 as part of a multi-day immersive basketball and entertainment festival.
“Sabi ko sa kanila na ito yung once-in-a-lifetime opportunity na i-represent ang school namin sa Singapore. Alam naman nating lahat na dream ng lahat ng tao, player o coach, me personally, dream ko makapag-coach internationally. So it’s a privilege and an honor,” added NUNS Bullpups mentor Kevin de Castro.
San Antonio Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan engaged with fans and watched the final games of the Philippines Qualifiers, even joining Boom Gonzales and Isaac Go on Cignal’s broadcast panel during the boys’ finals. Headlining the performances was P-pop star FELIP who performed hit songs “ROCKSTA” and “envy” to the delight of the fans.
Earlier in the day, Natalia Andre from NBA Asia’s basketball operations department conducted an NBA Cares clinic for 40 boys and girls from Childhope Philippines, a non-governmental organization dedicated to helping street children, which featured a series of fun games and basketball drills on shooting, dribbling, and passing.
As the presenting partner of the NBA Rising Stars Invitational Philippines Qualifiers, Gatorade kept the players and coaches hydrated throughout the tournament. Energen Champion and vivo also served as official partners, while Cignal, the event’s official broadcaster, aired the boys’ and girls’ finals on One Sports, NBA TV Philippines, and Pilipinas Live.
For all the latest developments around the NBA and the Philippines Qualifiers, fans in the Philippines can visit NBAcom, download the NBA App, and follow the NBA on Facebook, TikTok and X. For more information on the NBA Rising Stars Invitational, visit NBA.com/RisingStarsInvitational and follow NBA Rising Stars Invitational on Instagram for the latest news and updates about the event.
Follow Gatorade Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube for the latest products, news, and updates on their initiatives around the Philippines Qualifiers.
Scores:
NUNS (107)- Trinidad 21, Avila 17, Lapasaran 16, Rosano 16, Singson 16, Rosano 11, Badajos 11, Sales 6, Mallari 6, Aycardo 3.
LSCA (49) – Eestaquio 16, Roflo 14, De Leon 8, San Juan 4, Revidad 4, Tayao 3, Dimalanta 0.
Quarterscores; 29-9; 64-18; 91-35; 107-49
NUNS (101) – Lucido 25, Celiz 24, Diakite 14, Mann 10, Sison 7, Manding 6, Tulabot 6, Timbang 6, Matias 3, Tadeo 0.
UST (75) Ludivice 26, Cinco 12, Cabanero 10, Batan 10, Castro 9, Canapi 6, Cruz 2, Jubilado 0
Quarterscores: 33-19; 63-37; 91-35; 107-49
