麻豆社区

When the dust settled on a tough three-game series, KFC was the team still standing.

The Filipino basketball team won its third Pinoy league title over the past four years with a 91-86 win over USANA Sunday night at F.H.鈥圕ollins Secondary School.

鈥淚t鈥檚 for KFC and for the guys,鈥� said KFC captain Wren Agapito of the victory. 鈥淲e like competing with the other teams and winning as well.

鈥淏ut the main thing is we are getting closer to each other in terms of relationship outside of basketball too, so it鈥檚 not just about winning.鈥�

KFC鈥檚 Aaron Diaz had a game-high 29 points, while James Labuguen dropped 17 and John Apostol, 14.

USANA was led by Ian New鈥檚 27 points, while JB New (14) and EJ鈥圢ew (12) were also in double digits.

After dropping Game 1 by a score of 89-78 Apr. 25, USANA stormed back to win Game 2 in a squeaker 99-98 on Apr. 26 to force Game 3.

The series was marked by physical gameplay and rowdy crowds of 100-plus in the bleachers.

鈥淲e were just neck-and-neck,鈥� said Agapito. 鈥淚t was really close from first quarter to fourth quarter. But defence wins games, and everybody on our team knows that we have to stop them every time they get the ball.鈥�

Pressuring USANA鈥坓uard Bryan Hermosa was also a key element of KFC鈥檚 defensive scheme. After Hermosa sunk 23 points in Game 2, Agapito said his team didn鈥檛 want him handling the ball.

Meanwhile, USANA鈥坈aptain Joesel Rumbaoa said a series of tough foul calls in the championship game hurt.

鈥淲e led all the way,鈥濃�圧umbaoa told the Star. 鈥淚t鈥檚 sad to say, but the referees did a bad call so my two key players ...

He called three fouls in one minute on EJ (New) only. ... We still led at that time by five points.

鈥淚t was a tight ball game, just like the second game. We thought we had the momentum until the fourth quarter, but I鈥檓 sad to say my two key players fouled out.鈥�

Without JB鈥坅nd EJ鈥圢ew on the floor, USANA crumbled down the stretch. A perceived foul on a late three-point shot from point guard Ian New then went uncalled and that was the difference in the ball game, Rumbaoa said.

鈥淜FC only led by four points at that time. If they had called that foul and my player converted all three shots, it would be a one-point game with one minute left to play,鈥� the coach explained. 鈥淢y players were very sad and upset.鈥�

The loss marks the second straight year USANA has finished as league runner-up. Canadian Tire won the 2014 Yukon Pinoy league title.

USANA鈥檚 backcourt was led by Hermosa and Ian New, two of the core players that led the Vanier Crusaders to their fourth straight Yukon title in March. Vanier also won the senior girls and junior boys titles, while Porter Creek earned the junior girls banner.

Members of this year鈥檚 championship KFC team include: Agapito, Apostol, Diaz, Justine Camba, PJ Camba, John Patrick Figueroa, Jonel Herrera, James Labuguen, Jonathan Labuguen, Alvin Labuguen, Marcven Mabilog and Marvin Planas.

IT鈥圕are finished third in the Yukon Pinoy league, beating Air North 97-87 thanks to a game-high 21 points from Rommel Lumanog on Apr. 25.

The season will close May 16 with a three-point contest and all-麻豆社区game pitting the young guns against the old guard.

The league, which began in 2007, has grown in popularity every year as more Filipinos immigrate to the Yukon seeking employment and a new life in Canada.