By Ivan Saldajeno
QUEZON CITY--QCA bucked a slow start and a late rally from Sto. Niño Parochial School to hack out a 58-53 win at the start of the Quezon City Youth Basketball Association Gold Cup right on Quezon City Day at the Victoria Park Covered Court.
QCA fell early into the U-16 action as Sto. Niño went on a 9-0 run to start the game.
QCA, however, slowly crawled back and eventually went up, 38-28, in the third quarter.
Sto. Niño still put up a fight and came to within three, 53-56, with 21 seconds remaining.
The Bago Bantay-based team even threatened to inch closer as the squad got a steal off an errant inbound pass from the Project 7-based dribblers, but the former made a crucial miscue which spelled its doom.
Vincent Morales kept QCA afloat in the first half with 12 of his 14 points coming in the first 20 minutes.
Sebastian Joson and Jordan Surquia then delivered the goods for QCA in the payoff period, each scoring six markers to make up the majority of the team's 20 total fourth quarter points. Surquia eventually finished with 14 markers as well.
Kyle Dela Cruz tallied a game-high 23 markers for Sto. Niño but did not get much help from his teammates as QCA's defense spelled a huge factor.
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