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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Hope, Xavier arrange title clash in Fil-Chi cagefest

Hope, Xavier arrange title clash in Fil-Chi cagefest

Published Apr 14, 2026 01:04 pm
Jobert Mercado scores for Hope Christian High School.
Jobert Mercado scores for Hope Christian High School.
As expected, Hope Christian High School and Xavier School arranged a title clash after humbling their respective semis rivals in the Smart Sports Fil-Chinese Athletic Association Inc. presented by Tanduay Athletics held recently at the Tanduay gym in Quiapo, Manila.
Backed by Al Cars, the top-seeded Hope demolished New Fortune Mansion Seafoods Restaurant- Chiang Kai Shek College, 82-72, behind the red-hot shooting of Jobert Mercado and Janrey Garrido.
Mercado and Garrido led the team’s early breakaway that set tone for another runaway win that saw them lead as many as 23 points, 75-52, but slowed down in the final four minutes.
The Xavier Stallions, however, showed no mercy as they romped to a 94-61 win over Cellboy-St. Stephen’s with former MPBL MVP Gab Banal putting on a solid all-around performance for the McDavid x Windsor-backed squad with 23 points, 21 rebounds and 11 assists.
The best-of-three title series starts on Monday, April 20.
In the 50-and-above division semis, No. 1 seed Xavier School-Emerald also marched to the finals with a 44-41 win over St. Stephen’s while No. 3 Hope Christian-Premium Feeds went to Jessie Angchoongco and Domingo Chung Li to beat No. 2 Grace Christian College- Hyundai Home Appliances, 48-40, also forced a knockout match.
Angchoongco and Chung Li tallied 10 points each while Howie Evangelista added 7 points. The rubber match is Wednesday, April 15.
In a show of force, 3 other Xavier players scored in double figures with Kyles Lao adding 17, while Mark Chan and Jarell Lim chipping in 17 and 11 points, respectively.
Mercado came off the bench to register 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, while Garrido posted 16 points and 4 boards in the tournament backed Genius Hardware, Ultraforce Tires, Cellboy, PGFlex Linoleum, Boysen, Lamtex Pipes, Jiang Nan, Hangry Pares, Powerhouse Tools, L.F. Fireworks, BYD Valenzuela, BAIC, Jetour, Oedo, 1118 Autospa, and TCL. 
Hope’s win negated the 34-point explosion of Karl Villaflor.

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