Eucon ends GCA’s title run

Eucon International School outclassed Grace Christian Academy, 58-50, to rule the boys high school division of the 2013-2014 Coalition of Private School Sports Association Basketball League last Friday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The Blazers, who debuted in the COPSSA caging this season, ended GCA’s four-year reign in the division. The Eagles defeated Mount Carmel School in the finals from 2010 to 2013 and boosted their chances for a five-peat after beating the Knights in the semifinals last Thursday, 57-50, before bowing to the Allen Yu-led Eucon.

Yu scored a game-high 27 points, consistently anchoring the Blazers’ offense form the first to the final quarter. He ate up the Eagles’ defense with penetrations from outside before charging into the paint for several point-blanked shots. The Eucon forward hit most of his field goals in the third quarter, as he canned four baskets and helped the Blazers led by as much as 16 points, 36-20.
Before the breakaway, Eucon was only ahead by 8 at the break, 27-19. The lead ballooned as the Eagles were without a field goal in the first six minutes of the third quarter and was held to 2 points off Karlo De Leon’s 2-for-4 performance from the foul line. De Leon went on to put some life to GCA’s fading chances for a title defense, scoring 9 more points in the final two minutes of that period to cut the deficit to a manageable number, 30-41.
De Leon continued to carry the cudgels for the Eagles, who sliced Eucon’s lead to single digits, 40-49, midway in the fourth. The score remained unchanged as both teams traded misses and errors before a pair of free throws from Yu put the lead back to double figures, 51-40. Yu came off a pick from the wing and got the inbound pass from Tony Li for an alley-oop, faltered on the attempt, but drew a foul from Dong Ha Lee.

Eucon International School’s Allen Yu drives against Grace Christian Academy’s Jun Ho Hong, second right, and Dong Ha Lee, left, while GCA’s Billy Hinson looks on during the second quarter of their title game in the COPSSA boys high school caging last Friday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
(ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

After Yu nailed his second charity, the Eagles pushed the ball hard with De Leon on the finishing end, converting an acrobatic shot and drawing a foul from Wayne Li. However, De Leon failed to cash in on the bonus charity and went on to miss three more free throws in the final two minutes of the title game, preventing GCA from mounting its last comeback bid.
Yu, on the other hand, hit 3-for-4 from the 15-foot in the closing minutes, while Tony and Wayne Li added three more free throws to seal it for the Blazers.
Marcus Little coached Eucon in its first title win in the COPSSA league, while joining Yu and Tony and Wayne Li on the champion squad are Michael Zhang, Bobby Ji, Peter Wang, Rafael Wang, Jeremy Perez, Jerry Wang, Glenn Vidal, Zion Alamer, and Ethan Zheng.
Tony and Wayne Li chipped in 10 points apiece to back up Yu in the finals, while De Leon led GCA’s losing cause with his 26 markers, failing to get enough help from his teammates. Lee was the second highest scorer for GCA with his 8 points, but most of his points came when the Blazers were already assured of the victory.

Eucon 58 – Yu 27, W. Li 10, T. Li 10, R. Wang 4, Zhang 2, Je. Wang 2, Alamer 1.
GCA 50 – De Leon 26, Lee 8, Hinson 5, Sugue 4, Yu 4, Manglona 3.
Scoring by quarters: 9-11, 27-19, 41-30, 58-50.