MANILA, Philippines?Former National Youth mainstay Jeric Teng fired 52 points, outscoring the entire opposing team, as defending champion Xavier School cruised past Hope Christian High School, 120-43, at the start of the 39th Yakult Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball Association (MMTBA) over the weekend at the UNO High School gym.

Teng, last year?s scoring champion and son of former San Miguel Beer enforcer Alvin, also grabbed 13 rebounds and issued five assists to hand Hope Christian its 19th straight defeat dating back to the 2006 edition.

Xavier, which beat Chiang Kai Shek College in last year?s final, is eyeing its eighth title in the annual tournament featuring teams from the country?s Filipino-Chinese schools.

In other opening-day matches, host UNO High School upended 14-time champ Chiang Kai Shek, 87-81, and St. Jude nipped St. Stephen?s, 68-67.

UNO?s Ronald Chua and cat-quick Isaac Lim combined for 48 points while Kim Lo split his charities in the last 25 seconds to lift St. Jude to its first win.

Slotman Alvin Qua and Karl Villaflor poured in 22 points each for the Edward Tio-managed CKS. Villaflor also sank six triples as he engaged Lim, who had five, in a virtual shoot-out.

Grace Christian College, which drew an opening-day bye, battles UNO High School on Wednesday.

PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad and deputy commissioner Tommy Ong graced the tournament?s opening rites.