Four teams bade goodbye to their bid for basketball glory and only four teams remain in contention for the two finals berth in the 6th Baden Powell Cup Basketball Tournament as action goes into high gear with the semi-final round starting on January 31.

More popularly known as the BP Cup, the annual tournament is staged by the Filipino-Chinese Scout Club, with the Rotary Club of Bagumbayan Manila, Pro-Ad Marketing Communications, E-Signal Marketing, Senator Richard F. Gordon, Jr., and Marikina Congressman Del R. de Guzman supporting this year’s tourney. With twenty-eight Chinese-Filipino schools in its fold, the Filipino-Chinese Scout Club selects the top eight Chinese-Filipino schools in the field of Scouting to compete in this event, which is one of many activities it holds yearly. The tournament is named after Lord Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden Powell, who founded the World Scouting movement in 1907. The cagefest started in 1998, but only became an annual undertaking in 2005. To-date, only two schools have earned bragging rights to be called BP Cup Champions, namely Hope Christian High School in 1998 and 2005, and Chiang Kai Shek College from 2006 to 2008.

This year’s tournament started with a bang as throngs of supporters from the participating schools attended the grandeur opening ceremonies prepared by this year’s host, Philadelphia High School (PHS) last January 10. PHS Directress Lydia Lao welcomed the guests and officials, including Francisco Teng San, vice-president of both the Filipino-Chinese Scout Club and the Filipino-Chinese Amateur Athletic Association; Po Sun To, secretary-general of the Grand Family Association of the Philippines; Edwin Chiu, president of the Rotary Club of Bagumbayan Manila; and 92-year old Professor Lim Giok Khun, one of the living founders of Scouting in the Chinese-Filipino community.

Aside from the formal program, a side event during the opening ceremonies was the awarding of the tournament’s best muse award, which went to Camille Kristine Sy of Chiang Kai Shek College (CKSC). Adding excitement to the lavish opening ceremonies were cheer dance presentation from the host school, Philadelphia, and a hip hop number from the Hope Christian dance movers, who emerged national finalist in the Skechers Dance Competition last year. The colourful opening rites were shown on the morning of January 18 at am@ibc television show in IBC Channel 13.

After three weeks of hardcourt action, defending 3-Peat champions CKSC enters the semi-final round with a clean slate after stopping Quezon City Christian Academy (QCCA), 81-51, in its final elimination assignment. Supported by Accel Sports, the CKSC Blazing Scout Dragons earned a twice-to-beat advantage in the semis and will face surprise semi-finalist Philippine Pasay Chung Hua Academy (PPCHA) this Saturday, January 31. The PPCHA Eagles earned the last semis birth at the expense of host school Philadelphia during their knock-out game, 62-53, behind the 23-point production of its captain ball, Calvin Tyrone Chan.

In the other semi-final match, the QCCA Saints will have a tough hill to climb as it squares off with St. Stephen’s High School, which ranked second after the elimination stage despite losing its last elimination round game against Tiong Se Academy by a single point, 59-58. The Stephenians also have a twice-to-beat advantage over the Saints, which will again rely on its terrific trio of shooting guard Don Alvin Klinton Tan, point guard Justin James Gan, and center Russ Deparne.

In a battle between winless teams, Philippine Cultural College finally notched its first win in two years at the expense of Hope Christian High School, 69-49.

The tournament will have its awarding ceremonies on February 21, with a dance competition among the member schools as added attraction.