Game Thursday (Uno High School)

6 p.m. --Chiang Kai Shek vs. Hope Christian


JOHN Kevin Baytan buried a three-pointer while  Wilson Bartolome came  through with a defensive gem in the last two minutes as Chiang Kai Shek College outlasted   Hope Christian High School, 79-75, in   Game 1 of  their   best-of-three   title series in the   42nd  Metro Manila Tiong Lian  Basketball Association Tournament  (MMTLBL)   at the Uno High School gym last Monday.

In a game marked by several twists and turns, the CKSC Blue Dragons turned out to be  more  resilient as they   produced two clutch plays to finally take the   fight out of the Hope  Christian players in a tense encounter and  move within a win of  annexing   their 15th  title in the league long considered as one of the biggest high school tournaments in the country.

Showing the nerves of a matador, Baytan silenced the Hope Christian crowd by   unloading his   third and last triple for a 76-73 breather with 1:43 left in the payoff period.

Hope  Christian, however, refused to give up the fight easily as Raymund Tan hit a long  two 19 ticks later to trim the deficit, 76-75.

The Hope Christian squad, which was unbeaten in seven games going into the finals, had a chance to send the game into overtime after CKSC playmaker John Paul Nieles split his charities but a Clint Doliquez basket inside the paint   was blocked by Bartolome with only two seconds remaining.

Another win tomorrow will enable Chiang Kai Shek College to complete a Triple Crown after also winning the Aspirants (14-years-and under) and Girls divisions of the tournament presented by Regan Industrials Sales Inc. and World Balance.

The game was  so tight and  exciting that it produced 15 lead changes and 11 deadlocks.

Baytan led the Goldwin Monteverde-mentored CKSC with 22 points while Bartolome chipped in 12 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks.

Two other CKSC players scored in double figures with  Joshua Tan and Kimlee Bayquin combining for 30 points.

Also backing the tournament are Uratex, Burlington, Summit Drinking Water, 100 Plus, Supreme  Steel Pipe, Superior  Pipe, Ace Water Spa and Molten.

For more Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball League game stories, log on to www.tionglianbasketballph.webs.com and www.gameface.ph.