FRIARS ACCOMPLISH TITLE GOAL WITH BIG WIN OVER WARRIORS

By Shania Bulala

Fans packed the UOG Calvo Field House on Friday evening as the Father Duenas Friars faced off against the St. Paul Warriors in the IIAAG/ISA Boys Basketball Championship matchup. With a commanding performance, the Friars secured their third straight championship title, defeating the Warriors 78-54.

League MVP Noah Tenorio led the charge for the Friars, finishing with a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds. Teammate Colin Baker was a key offensive contributor, chipping in 18 points, 12 of those points from behind the three-point line.

Game Flow

The Friars wasted no time asserting their dominance, using their deep bench to control much of the game’s tempo. The opening quarter saw both teams battling neck and neck with FD pulling ahead 20-13. The tide turned in the second quarter when the Friars went on an eight-point scoring run, giving them a comfortable 41-29 lead at halftime.

Coming out with a renewed sense of urgency, the Warriors fought back in the third quarter.

St. Paul brought it to within two at 44-42 before fouls plagued their comeback, giving the Friars free chances at the charity stripe, in which they took full advantage of.

FD capitalized on frequent trips to the free-throw line to regain control. Their relentless offensive pressure and defensive stability allowed them to extend their lead back to 20 points in the fourth quarter, sealing the victory with a final score of 78-54.

A Perfect Season

With this championship victory, the Friars continue to cement their legacy as the premier basketball program in the league. This season was particularly significant, as the Friars walked away undefeated in a newly combined league with both private and public schools after six years of separation.

Guided by legendary coach Eddie Pelkey, who returned to the coaching scene after taking a break for the last four years, the Friars displayed the same championship-caliber basketball that has continued to make them a dominant force in high school basketball.

“It never gets old,” said Pelkey, reflecting on yet another championship title.

“Hats off to St. Paul; they’re competitors, and I have nothing but good things to say about their coaching staff. But we definitely wanted this…. We were extremely prepared and knew how well they were playing leading up to the playoffs. But at the end of the day, we knew we were the best. We just had to come out and show it,” reflected Pelkey.

For senior and league MVP Tenorio, the victory was the cherry on top of his high school career.

“This is amazing…. Accomplishing this in my senior year is the best thing yet to come. I was able to end my senior year in the best way possible, but my team definitely deserves all the credit. I know I was chosen as the league MVP, but the real MVP goes out to my team. I definitely want to give credit to my coaches and, most importantly, my mom, who has guided me to be the person I am today.”

– MVP Noah Tenorio