APAYAO – Cagers from Conner have clinched the maiden Apayao founding anniversary basketball tournament crown by routing the Santa Marcela hoopers at the BGVJr. Memorial Sports Center in Luna town.
In the opening canto, Santa Marcela stormed the gates with a flurry of three-pointers, establishing an early 8-0 lead.
Despite the initial onslaught, Conner remained composed, relying on second-chance opportunities to chip away at Santa Marcela’s advantage.
The momentum shifted in Conner’s favor as they launched a spirited comeback. By the end of the first quarter, the score was deadlocked at 14 apiece.
With Santa Marcela clinging to a narrow 28-25 lead heading into halftime, it was clear the finals would go down to the wire.
In the third quarter, Conner seized control, using a ba-lanced offensive approach to wrestle the lead away from Santa Marcela.
Despite Santa Marcela’s valiant efforts to keep pace, Conner’s dominance in the paint and clutch shooting was too much to handle, as they entered the final frame with a slim 51-48 advantage.
With the championship within reach, Conner turned up the heat in the fourth quarter unleashing a barrage of baskets to extend their lead to double digits and closed out the game with a hard-fought 63-59 victory.
In the end, it was a historic moment for Conner Cagers, as they etched their names in Apayao basketball lore with their first championship triumph. – Jc Marquez
