Cordillera Career Development College Admirals kept their national championship dreams alive Sunday, defeating the University of Cagayan Valley, 74-65, at the University of Baguio gym.
With the victory, the Admirals advance to the quarterfinals of the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) North Luzon Regional Championship.
They stand as the lone remaining representative from the Baguio and Benguet areas in the tournament.
The top four of the regional tilt earns a spot in the NBTC National Finals at the MOA Arena, scheduled for March 23-26.
Mark Den Cruz powered the La Trinidad-based squad with 16 points, three steals, and two blocks. Kevin James Dela Cruz added 14 points, while Joel Christ Ancheta contributed 10. John Patrick Tayaoan and Ahmed Aduan each chipped in nine points to round out the balanced attack.
The Admirals held a slim 18-13 lead after the first quarter, but UCV caught fire from deep in the second. Behind five 3-pointers, the Tuguegarao-based team swung the momentum to take a 35-27 lead into halftime.
UCV maintained a 54-48 advantage heading into the final period before CCDC ignited a 14-3 run. The surge allowed the Admirals to reclaim a 62-57 lead with 5:56 remaining, a cushion they would not relinquish.
“Some of my key players were a bit off, so I had to dig into the bench to see who had the hot hand,” coach Felix Manuel Jr. said in Filipino. “In the fourth quarter, I went with a smaller, faster lineup because they were playing bigger.”
Jhamyr Gian Karl Calubaquib led UCV with 22 points, including six triples. Mark Angelo Addun and Cyrus Henry Bauiran added 17 and 12 points, respectively, in the loss.
The Admirals face a quick turnaround as they take on the Nueva Ecija D’ Generals in the quarterfinals on Monday, Feb. 2.
“Against Nueva Ecija, we are ready for a battle,” Manuel said.
In other action, several local teams saw their seasons end with the University of Baguio Red Robins falling to 1VBO X Dodee & Acel Agricultural Supply (Nueva Vizcaya), 71-57 while Berkeley School lost a 76-73 heartbreaker to Our Lady of the Pillar College-Cauayan.
Saint Louis University Cubs meanwhile were eliminated by Batang Natividad, 101-77.
The tournament is supported by SM Supermalls, Adidas, Molten, Buffalo’s, Pocari Sweat, and Omni. Roderick Osis