For the third year in a row, the Business and Management (B&M) Vipers once again secured gold in this year’s Palarong Atenista men’s basketball, striking venom straight to the hearts of Computer Studies (CS) Chameleons, 77-58.

With the start of the game marked by a solid lead by the B&M Vipers, the first quarter was marked by the Vipers’ Vernon Nebres securing the first shots of the game, with the Vipers maintaining the lead with only four minutes left, 14-0.

With opportunities for free throws, the CS Chameleons eventually scored their first points with Andres Escobal and Brian Mahamud, followed by the B&M Vipers, who evened the score, ending the quarter still in the lead, 25-5.

The second quarter featured continuous steals and misses between both teams, interspersed with swift passes from the B&M Vipers and strong defenses by the CS Chameleons, ending with a 21-point gain for both teams, 46-26.

Despite a strong lead by the B&M Vipers, the game’s result was still up in the air as both clusters continued to cheer for every pass and defense as the game continued.

The third quarter only ramped up the energy as the B&M Vipers’ Ashafie Mandella and Zander Abella secured the ball with their consistent steals leading into shots, 65-34.

A thrill-filled fourth quarter was marked by the B&M Vipers adapting to the CS Chameleons’ defense, as the CS Chameleons responded with swift, agile movements led by Charles Sicat, 72-43, with the B&M Vipers still in the lead, six minutes left in the game.

The final minutes of the game were filled with shot after shot by the Chameleons as they tried to close the gap; however, time was in B&M’s favor as the clock eventually ran out with the Vipers in the lead, clinching the gold for a third year in a row, 77-58. 

In their final year on the team, B&M Vipers’ Kuhrby Demain recounted that despite entering the match as the favored team to win, the team prioritized practicing the fundamentals over maintaining a winning streak.

“I’m in my last year [of playing]… so I had the grit and confidence to make our cluster the champion… but our team is also already used to this environment, [with] our coaches giving us the fundamentals over the years.”

He also recalled how their last-minute practice greatly contributed to their securing an early lead that led to the subsequent win.

“During the first quarter, [it was] very obvious na well prepared, [kahit na] last night lang talaga kami nag practices, we still had a 30-point lead.”

The CS Chameleons secured silver, while the School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA) Tigers secured bronze in a previous game against the Social Sciences (SS) Dragons on October 12.

The Palarong Ateneista men’s basketball championship game took place on October 15 at 4F Martin Hall.