Garapan rules elementary caging

Garapan Elementary School’s Jayvan Johnny escapes past his defenders for an easy layup during their semis game against San Vicente 2 in the Public School System Interscholastic Co-ed 4×4 Basketball Tournament held last Saturday at the Koblerville Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Garapan Elementary School outlasted San Vicente Elementary School 2 twice in the championship round to clinch the title in the Public School System Interscholastic Co-ed 4×4 Basketball Tournament held last Saturday at the Koblerville Gymnasium.

Garapan won both games in the finals in similar scores, 4-3, to top the two-weekend competition.

No most valuable player was selected in the tournament, but if there was, the Mallards’ Jayvan Johnny would have been the hands down choice. The Garapan student showed superior basketball skills among the players that competed in the tournament, wowing the crowd with his crossover dribbling skills, daredevil drives, and impressive shooting touch. He scored most of Garapan’s points in the entire competition, including 6 of their 8 markers in the two games in the finals.

In Game 1, after San Vicente’s Kian Helgen knotted the count at 3-3, Johnny’s short jumper iced it for Garapan. Helgen attempted to tie the match anew with the clock ticking. His shot went in, but only after the final buzzer had already sounded.

The Game 1 win kept Garapan in the race for the title against San Vicente 2, which received a twice-to-beat advantage after downing the Mallards in the winner’s bracket semis earlier, 6-5.

Then in Game 2, Helgen put San Vicente 2 on the board with his free throw conversion, but the Canaries’ stay at the driver’s seat was short-lived, as Johnny put on a show anew. He also hit a free throw and then scored two more points and an assist to Marvin Santos for their 4-1 advantage.

Down, but definitely not out, San Vicente went for the final push in a bid to beat Garapan. Helgen scored off a banked shot, while Mario Torres also nailed a looper with less than 20 seconds left in Game 2. Garapan faltered in its next offensive set, keeping San Vicente 2’s hopes alive. Torres then had a chance to send the game in overtime, as he was left open for a jumper from the baseline, but overshot his mark. Garapan got the rebound and dribbled the clock away to secure the win and the championship.

The Mallards had to prevail against San Vicente 2 twice in the finals after the Canaries won, 5-4, in the winner’s bracket semis. Garapan went on to earn a rematch against San Vicente 2 after outclassing San Vicente 1, 9-6, in the loser’s bracket semis.

Meanwhile, William S. Reyes Elementary School also fielded teams (three) in last Saturday’s double-elimination playoffs, but lost in the early rounds. WSR 3 was the best finisher among the three squads, as it made it all the way to the third round before bowing to San Vicente 1.