NCR extends Palarong Pambansa reign to 14 years

VIGAN CITY—National Capital Region added the secondary boys’ basketball gem to its newest Palarong Pambansa overall crown as the Games drew to a close on Saturday amid sweltering heat in this historic capital city of Ilocos Sur.

For a 14th straight year, Metro Manila lorded it over 16 other regions, bagging 100 gold medals on top of 70 silver and 50 bronze medals.

Batang Gilas stalwart Terrence Fortea dumped 28 points as NCR destroyed Davao Region, 100-80, at San Juan municipal hall.

Fresh off the Fiba Asian U-16 championship where the Filipinos clinched an Under-17 World Cup berth in Argentina this June, Fortea led NCR whose core came from his alma mater, National University.
Fellow Bulldogs Gerry Abadiano, and Carl Tamayo chipped in 24 and 14 points, respectively.

Northern Mindanao punched its way to six golds in boxing, held at Plaza Burgos—Joshua Jan Acaylar, boys’ pin weight; Joshua Jan Odvina, light bantam; Dave Bryan Caspe, bantam; Mark Lester Durens, light fly; JE Palivino, flyweight; and Wesley Caga, lightweight.

Western Visayas nailed the girls’ elementary softball gold, while Calabarzon claimed the girls’ secondary title.

But they weren’t enough to remove NCR from its perch as Calabarzon finished with a 55-50-73 tally to place second overall, while Western Visayas was third with 46-45-55.

Central Visayas (26-25-36), Cordillera Administrative Region (25-22-23), Northern Mindanao (23-18-28), Soccsksargen (21-26-30), Central Luzon (18-21-23), Davao Region (12-25-25) and Cagayan Valley (11-8-13) completed the top 10. Host Ilocos Region was 11th with a 10-11-30 tally.

Davao Region will host the 2019 edition.

At least 40 records fell in track and field and swimming—the most in Palaro history. Among the standouts was trackster Jessel Lumapas of Calabarzon who won four golds and set new Palaro marks in 400-meter run (56.27 seconds) and 4x400m relay (3:53.97).