UV Baby Lancers capture SBP U-16 crown

Andres Paul Desiderio fired 36 points and Leonard Santillan added 23 as University of Visayas rolled past Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori, 120-75, to rule the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas National Under-16 Championship at the University of Baguio Gym over the weekend.

Ralph Jude Dinolan helped fuel the rout with 20 points, Gerald Fernandez contributed 11 while Desiderio added seven rebounds and four assists for the UV Baby Lancers, who settled the issue with a 66-39 halftime lead.

“The boys really stepped up. They played their best,” said UV coach Jaymar Canoy.

The Baby Lancers entered the Final Four of the nationwide grassroots development meet, presented by Summit Water and backed by Energen Nutrition Milk and Cereal, Philex Mining, Molten and the MVP Sports Foundation, via the quotient system.

They underscored their worth after downing tournament-favorite University of Santo Tomas, 93-87, in the semifinals to reach the finals against Cagayan de Oro’s Sacred Heart, which booted out St. John Institute, 85-72.

UST earlier vented its ire on Bacolod City’s St. John with an 85-72 victory in the battle for third.

“A great learning institution from Cebu and a great basketball power, my congratulations to UV,” said SBP executive director Sonny Barrios.

Barrios revealed that two more nationwide SBP tournaments—3-on-3 and Under-18—will hit the stage in the coming months.