RAIN or Shine stunned erstwhile unbeaten San Miguel, 75-70, to snatch the U11 crown while Blackwater completed a perfect campaign with a 59-58 thriller over Converge to claim the 9U title in the 2025 Batang PBA age-group tournament finals on Wednesday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
Xavier Jeongco scored 20 points to lead the Batang Elasto Painters' upset win set off by a 39-28 start but needed to fend off a last-ditch rally by the Batang Beermen.
Kyrie Erickson Llego and Elijah Alexander Tirona also delivered crucial baskets and finished with 18 points each while Ulan Rico added 14 for ROS, which avenged its 65-49 defeat to SMB in the eliminations.
Glenn Mikael Mabulac (21 points), Mikkael Dominic Casta?eda (16 points) and Ralph Lucas Sy (13 points) had a good game going in the first half but lost steam in the second half as the Batang Beermen absorbed its first defeat in the tournament and settled for runner-up finish.
In the 9U division, Zyn Khalleb Cadallo had 11 points while Carmelo Keeyan Leongson and Kendrick Dominguez added 10 points for the Batang Bossing, who battled back from a 17-point deficit to complete a tournament sweep at 5-0.
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Blackwater trailed by 15-32 at halftime but turned to its defense in the second half and it worked perfectly well against Christian Jacob Tan, Converge's big scoring workhorse.
After scoring 42 and 40 points in the last two games, Tan settled for 19 points in the finale while Sebastien Gray Castro and Francis Ian Mendoza had 13 and 10 points, respectively, for the Batang FiberXers. (JBU)
The Scores:?First Game (9U)
Blackwater 59 - Caballo 11, Leongson 10, Dominguez 10, Selibio 9, Maninang 6, Simbulan 5, Emerenciana 4, Garcia 3, Rodriguez 1, Lim 0, Villaluz 0, Marohom 0, Torres 0.
Converge 58 - Tan 19, Castro 13, F. Mendoza 10, Cochongco 8, Bahillo 4, Miciano 3, Feliciano 1, A. Mendoza 0, Sarmiento 0, Duncil 0, Azuin 0, Bo 0.
Quarterscores: 11-21, 15-32, 41-41, 59-58.
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Second Game (11U)
Rain or Shine 75 - Jeongco 20, Llego 18, Tirona 18, Rico 14, Lagandaon 3, S. Pineza 2, Torres 0, Pine 0, Barreto 0, Rosuello 0, Fabros 0, M. Pineza 0, Quiambao 0.
San Miguel 70 - Mabulac 21, Casta?eda 16, Sy 13, Tan 8, Custodio 4, Reyes 4, Cruzim 2, Obra 2, Marcos 0, Castro 0, Pe?a 0, Alcantara 0, Marista?ez 0, Timbol 0.
Quarterscores: 21-11, 39-28, 57-44, 75-70.
