ATHLETICS

Xavier Dumps UNO:  "Co-be” scores 53

Mr. Henry Liao (XS ’72)

Posted Wednesday, 01-Feb-2006 1:46 PM

     Xavier School’s sweeping all its elimination games in the Juniors Division of the ongoing Tiong Lian basketball tournament has a prize-–a quarterfinal rest and an automatic semifinal ticket that carries with it a twice-to-beat advantage.

      Woody Co, the league’s prime MVP candidate, scored 53 points--the most by any Tiong Lian player since the 2000-01 Eric Yao-led XS era--and grabbed 17 boards Friday night as the Stallions beat UNO 122-61 at the UNO gym. 

     The victory was Xavier’s sixth in as many games in the elimination phase of the seven-school juniors division competitions. It was also Xavier's third straight 100+  points game, having also beaten St. Jude 105-48 (Jan. 23) and cellar-dweller Grace Christian 112-41 (Jan. 25).

      After missing on a short jumper that would have given him his 54th and 55th points, Co slipped on the floor with 41.9 seconds left and appeared to be in pain. Fortunately, it only turned out to be cramps.

      The 6'3" Co already had 45 points when coach Patrick Aquino temporarily relieved him with six minutes left in the fourth quarter and Xavier safely ahead, 102-51. Aware of a history-making scoring performance by his  main player, Aquino fielded  Co again with three minutes left. Co responded with eight more markers to reach a tournament and career-high of 53.

      Two other players scored in double digits for Xavier-–Charles Tiu (13, 3 three-pointers) and Constantine Ong (13).  Philmon Yao had eight markers and Marc Tio and Irvin Sta. Maria contributed six apiece.  Thirteen of the 14 Xavier players fielded scored. 

      As the No. 1 team, Xavier automatically earned a semifinal ticket and a twice-to-beat advantage.  This means that Xavier needs to beat its semifinal foe only once and advance to the best-of-three finals while its semis opponent must win twice against them.

     The Stallions are scheduled to play on Wednesday Feb. 8 (5:30 p.m.) against the winner of the No. 4 UNO (3-3) vs. No. 5 St. Stephen's (2-4) quarterfinal match-up.
 
      Chiang Kai Shek (5-1), at second-place, will have to go through the quarterfinals, needing to beat No. 7 Grace Christian (0-6) only once (while GC needs to win twice) to advance to the semifinals against the winner of No. 3 St. Jude (4-2) vs. No. 6 Hope Christian (1-5) quarterfinal series. 

      Meanwhile. Xavier School is also unblemished in the Aspirants Division of the Tiong Lian tournament where it is going for a 4-peat. After the first round of the double-round robin, five-school competitions, Xavier was 4-0.  Saturday night (Jan. 28), Xavier opens its second-round  play against St. Jude Catholic School.   The next day (Jan.29), it goes up against UNO.  After the eliminations, the No. 1 team automatically gains a twice-to-beat advantage against the No. 2 team in the finals.  Should the top two squads finish the eliminations with identical win-loss records, a best-of-three finals between them would be held.

      Only twice in Tiong Lian history has a school captured championships in the aspirants and juniors divisions in the same season-–Xavier in 2002-03, and Chiang KaiShek in 1990-91.

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