STI-Sta. Maria nips Sto. Nino De Bustos, enter Final Four in Bulacan leg of NBC Inter-High

STI-Sta. Maria played steady all throughout the match and kept Sto. Nino De Bustos at bay to pull off a 79-54 triumph on Friday at the opening of the Bulacan leg for the inaugural National Basketball Championship (NBC) Inter-High at the Star Arena in Baliuag, Bulacan.

The STI cagers managed to control the game on both ends to claim a spot in the Final Four knockout phase in the tournament for boys 19-under from private schools presented by Jamsap Entertainment Corporation headed by Jojo Flores.

J. Alegre scored a game-high 39 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and five steals, while N. Fudan chipped in with 20 points as STI got a shot for the title and the honor of representing Bulacan in the Regional Finals in this nationwide tournament which attracted over 200 school teams.

The league had its qualifying phase scheduled in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Nueva Ecija, Ilocos and Albay as well as eliminations for the Visayas and Mindanao.