By Henry Liao (Batch ’72)

Two-time defending champion Xavier School crushed St. Stephen’s High School, 96-55, last January 16 for its third consecutive win in the Juniors Division of the 40th Freego Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball Association tournament held at the Chiang Kai Shek College gym in Tondo, Manila.

The Golden Stallions established a double-digit lead right from the start, scoring the game’s first 10 points as Jeron Teng tallied five markers, Donal Ong hit a three, and Jose Anton Manuel knocked in the game’s first basket. The Stephenians broke into the scoring column on Brix Ong’s twinner, 10-2, but Harold Ng struck from beyond the three-point arc to open another 9-0 run that gave the Gold and Blue a 19-2 advantage.

Xavier led at least 10 points from thereon and was ahead, 54-22, at halftime.  The team continued with its offensive onslaught and concluded the third period with a commanding 79-27 edge. When pesky playmaker Bryan Tan made a three in the early minutes of the payoff quarter, Xavier had its biggest lead, 84-29.

Four players scored in double figures for the Stallions. Teng totaled 19 points and had eight rebounds and four assists.  Manuel, who fouled out with 41.5 seconds left in the third quarter, knocked in 16 markers with eight boards, three assists and three steals. Ng collected 15 points, including a 3-for-6 clip from the three-point area, and had a game-high five steals.  Ong contributed 11 markers.

Xavier School and St. Jude Catholic School, who face each other on January 27, share the leadership with identical 3-0 records. Xavier takes on title contender Hope Christian High School on January 22 and battles winless Uno High School (which played its last two games without skipper Isaac Lim, whose parents pulled him out of the team) on January 23.