Fil-Am Nation rules NBTC anew; St. Jude-Cavite claims Division 2 title

Fil-Am Nation Select USA once again ruled Division 1 of the National Basketball Training Center as it took down Phenom BlueFire-Pasay, 64-59, in the finals on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Lead guard Angelino Mark fouled out in the final frame as Fil-Am Nation built a 10-point advantage, 58-48, with 6:22 remaining. The Pasay representatives, however, inched closer 60-59 as Matthew Jucom drilled from the top of the key with 22.2 ticks left.

Freebies from Andrew Miller, Hunter Marumoto, and Eian Lowe eventually sealed the victory for Fil-Am Nation Select's second straight Division 1 championship.

"I just told them to stay focused, stay poised. We knew we were in for this kind of game," said head coach Byron Scott.

Division 1 Ato Badolato Most Outstanding Player Mark was the only Fil-Am Nation player in double-digits with 32 points on top of nine rebounds and three steals, while Caelum Harris delivered at the other end with seven points and 12 rebounds.

UAAP Season 87 Juniors Basketball Most Valuable Player Kieffer Alas led Phenom BlueFire-Pasay with 20 points, two rebounds, and two assists.

Mark, Harris, Alas, Bonn Daja, and UST's Koji Buenaflor were named as part of the Division 1 Mythical Team.

Earlier, St. Jude College Dasmariñas Cavite ruled Division 2 as it defeated Top Flight Hoops-Canada in the finals, 93-88.

Nexel Aguilo, the Division 2 Most Outstanding Player, led the Thaddeans with 23 points, five steals, and four assists, while teammate Stanley Gicoso had scored 14 points.

Aguilo, Gicoso, Top Flight’s Chad Gammad and Joey Panghulan, and DPR Aviation College-Bulacan’s John Lord Cruz were named to the Mythical Five.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News