Team Standings:
Hope Christian High School (7-0)
Chiang Kai Shek College (6-1)
St. Jude Catholic School (4-3),
St. Stephen?s High School (4-3)
Philippine Cultural College (3-4)
Grace Christian College (3-4)
Uno High School (1-6)
Northern Rizal Yorklin School (0-7)

Top seed Hope Christian High School clashes with No. 4 seed St. Stephen?s High School and No. 2 seed Chiang Kai Shek College takes on No. 3 seed St. Jude Catholic School on Saturday, September 25, in the semi-finals of the 21st Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation high school basketball tournament at the CKSC gym.

The doubleheader starts at 3:30 p.m. Hope Christian HS and Chiang Kai Shek College enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage over their respective opponents.

Victories by St. Jude Catholic School and St. Stephen?s HS on Saturday will force a rubber match in both series on Sunday, September 26, also at the CKSC gym.

In the final playdate of the elimination round last Saturday, St. Stephen?s HS beat Philippine Cultural College, 61-47, to gain the fourth and final semifinal berth; Grace Christian College scored a come-from-behind 65-62 decision over defending champion St. Jude Catholic School; Hope Christian HS blasted Chiang Kai Shek College, 79-60, to gain the No. 1 ranking; and Uno High School avoided a last-place finish with a victory over Northern Rizal Yorklin School.

Grace Christian College won its last three assignments, including a pulsating 65-62 decision over St. Jude CS on a three-point play by Kristian Furigay with 4.1 seconds left that broke a 62-62 deadlock.

Frank Gomendoza tallied 20 points and Furigay added a dozen markers for Grace Christian, which tied Philippine Cultural College with a 3-4 record but finished in sixth place following the application of the winner-over-the-other rule. PCC beat Grace, 72-65, in their encounter.

Kurt Uy, the younger brother of former Judenite Vance Uy, led St. Jude with 23 points. Hotshot Jason Ligad, who misfired on a potential tie-making three-pointer at the buzzer, had 13.

In a battle between unbeaten squads, Hope Christian gave up the game?s first five points then scored nine consecutive points to go ahead, 9-5.

Hope Christian never trailed thereafter and went up, 21-11, after the first quarter. The team took a 29-19 lead midway through the second period on frontliner Errol Villar?s twinner and was ahead by at least 10 points for the rest of the game.

Hope Christian owned a 40-27 halftime advantage as cat-quick and pesky playmaker Janrey Garrido knocked in 13 points, including three triples.

CKSC was behind, 58-40, after three quarters and trailed by as much as 25 points (70-45 and 75-50) midway through the payoff period.

Garrido wound up with 24 points, including 12 from the three-point area, for Hope Christian. Frontliners Jessiery Pedrosa and King Benemerito contributed nine markers each. Raymond Tan and Villar, who suffered a left ankle sprain in the final minute of the first half, added eight apiece for the winners.

Chiang Kai Shek College was bannered by Paul Aduana, who scored 11 points, and Cyril Mopas, who had 10 (all in the first half).

The boxscore:

Hope Christian HS ? Janrey Garrido 24, Jessiery Pedrosa 9, King Benemerito 9, Raymond Tan 8, Errol Villar 8, Don Mendoza 6, Leo Guion 6, Edralin Villanueva 6, Clint Doliquez 2, and Elijah Tancauco 1.

CKSC ? Paul Aduana 11, Cyril Mopas 10, Gregorio Gimado 8, John Baytan 7, Lorenzo Yan 5, Bobby Francisco 5, Joshua Tan 4, Kimlee Bayquin 3, Wilmer Kho 3, Marc Yip 2, and John Lee 2.