HIGHLIGHTS

Tiong Lian Double Champions
Mr. Henry Liao (XS '72)

Posted Wednesday, 22-Feb-2006 9:51 AM

     Xavier School romped away with the championships in both the Aspirants and Juniors divisions of this year's Tiong Lian basketball competitions.

      On Feb. 11, the Aspirants team defeated St. Stephen's High School in the one-game finals to finish with an unblemished 9-0 record and annex the title for the fourth year in a row.

      Five days later (Feb. 16), it was the turn of the Juniors squad to win the championship in its division after whipping Chiang Kai Shek, 84-73, in Game Two of their best-of-three titular series for a 2-0 finals sweep and a 9-0 finish overall.

      The game was closer than the final score indicated. The Stallions, who secured a 72-61 decision in Game One, were tested to the limit from start to finish. CKS was ahead 70-65 with six minutes left in Game Two. During the time, Xavier's 6-3 MVP Woody Co was on the bench for a breather and so was CKS's burly 6-6 center Justin Chua, who was temporarily sidelined by a foot injury. After the two big men checked in together at the four-minute mark, Xavier turned on the heat and CKS suffered through a meltdown.

      Xavier outscored CKS 19-3 the rest of the way, including the game's final 10 points. Charles Tiu split his two free throws and knocked in a three-pointer to put the Stallions within striking distance, 69-70. A basket by Frederick Tan pushed CKS's lead to three, 69-72, at the 2:43 mark. A 5-0 run, anchored on Marc Tio's basket (71-72) and another three-point bomb by Tiu, gave the lead back to Xavier, 74-72, with 1:50 left. It was Xavier's first lead since 61-60 early in the fourth quarter. Following CKS's 6-4 Alexander Wong's 1-for-2 effort from the foul line, 74-73, and time down to 1:30, Co ignited a 10-0 that finished off CKS.

      A cool and calculating Co connected on a three-point baseline jumper at the 1:08 mark, 77-73, sending the Xavier rooters in the capacity crowd at the UNO gym into a frenzy and confirming Co's status as the league's best player this season.

      Thereafter, a stunned CKS squad lost its composure and surrendered meekly. Tio, who got two quick fouls that helped bring Xavier to penalty situation just four minutes into the first quarter, made 2-of-2 from the charity stripe, 79-73, time down to 49 seconds. Subsequently, Irvin Sta. Maria put in a fielder, Tiu got a pair of free throws (83-73 that gave Xavier its first double-digit lead throughout the game) and Sta. Maria finalized the count by going 1-for-2 from the foul line.

      During the 19-3 span, Tiu totaled nine points, Tio had four and Sta. Maria and Co each contributed three.

      Chiang Kai Shek got off to a a quick start, racing to a 5-0 lead before Co broke the ice for Xavier with a basket. The Stallions moved ahead after erasing a 10-8 deficit with an 8-0 blast, 16-8. Following Tiu's second consecutive three-pointer that brought the score to 19-12, in Xavier's favor, CKS also had an 8-0 run of its own to regain the lead, 20-19. The first quarter ended with CKS ahead 22-20. Co scored Xavier's first 13 points and Tiu got his team's last seven in the quarter.

      Xavier trailed by as many as eight points (22-30, 35-43) in the second quarter and CKS owned a 45-38 advantage at halftime despite Co's 19 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

      The Stallions still trailed by eight, 46-54, midway through the third quarter before they clustered five straight markers (P Yao's three, Tiu's free throw and Torres' go-ahead two) to take the lead, 59-57, for the first time since late in the first quarter. The third canto ended in Xavier's favor, 61-58, on Jert Yao's inside twinner.

      CKS opened the fourth quarter with six quick points to go ahead once more, 64-61, and was still led 69-63 at the seven-minute mark. Then Xavier made its move, a fierce rally that sent a number of CKS players into tears at game's end.

      Charles Tiu, who was a member of the 2003 Aspirants championship unit (when his elder brother Chis Tiu was starring for the Juniors championship team that same year), had a career-defining game, at least at the high school level, in Game Two. Charles registered a career-high 30 points, 15 in each half. He pumped in five three-pointers and was 11-of-15 from the foul line.

      Co, bucking a mild sprain, finished with 29 points (8-of-11 from the foul line), 13 rebounds and four blocked shots. Only six other guys scored – Philmon Yao, 7; Sta. Maria, 6; Tio and Phillip Constantine Ong, four each; and Alejandro Torres and Jert Yao, two apiece.

      The Stallions were 26-of-34 overall from the free-throw line and totaled eight three-pointers (Tiu 5, Co 1, P Yao 1 and Sta. Maria 1). In contrast, Chiang Kai Shek was 19-of-24 from the charity stripes and only had a pair of trifectas.

      Justin Chua led CKS with 24 markers along with nine boards and two blocks. Wong (nine rebounds) and Johar King added 17 points each in a losing cause.

      For only the third time in Tiong Lian history, one school (Xavier) took home the Aspirants and Juniors division crowns in the same season. Chiang Kai Shek accomplished the feat in 1991 and Xavier turned in the trick in 2003.

      Co scored at least 10 points in all nine games for Xavier this season, his lowest being 11 against Hope Christian and his highest being a tournament-best 53 against UNO. He reached the 20-point plateau six times and averaged 24.9 points per game.

      Tiu averaged 14.2 points an outing while Philmon Yao hit at a 9.1-point clip. Ong averaged 8.4 ppg and Tio normed 7.7 ppg for the season.

Tiong Lian Juniors Championship Game Video
   Quicktime / Windows Media

Tiong Lian Aspirants Championship Game Video
   Quicktime / Windows Media

Go back to the top ^