By Kean Andrei Bagaipo and Paul Ray Donaire | March 7, 2024
In a nerve-wracking clash between the College of Business Administration’s (CBA) Golden Bees and the College of Engineering and Design’s (CED) Raptors, the Golden Bees achieved the unimaginable by a close margin, 66-61, upsetting Raptor’s seven-peat record in the men’s basketball finals.
Taking on the challenge of a twice-to-beat showdown, the Golden Bees had the greater part of the Lamberto Macias Sports and Cultural Centre rooting for them in an intense championship match held on Saturday, March 2.
The Golden Bees trailed by 28 points at the end of the second quarter but managed to stage a remarkable comeback, closing the gap against the Raptors to 34-32 in the mid-third quarter, courtesy of Denzel Cornelia’s (6) scoring punch.
Following a crucial defensive stop by CBA, McKyle Sison (7) converted another successful layup while Karl Dave (16) made a rebound, which led to a fast break opportunity, tying the game at 34. With CED down by four, 38-34, Cornelia drilled a three-pointer and secured two free throws, creating a 10-point lead, 45-35.
The tension escalated in the fourth quarter when both teams received technical fouls that ended in two and one free throws to the Golden Bees and Raptors, respectively. David Quinol (9) exhibited a stunning two-pointer in midrange and a double three-pointer, extending the Bees’ lead to 53-61.
The matchup grew more intense when the Bees committed a travel violation, but Cornelia came through, securing a point from two daring free throws after a foul by CED. The game was closely contested in the final moments as the Golden Bees received yet another set of free throws after a foul by the Raptors, adding two points to their lead.
With 13 seconds left, CBA sealed the victory with a game-winning rebound, which left the CED Raptors with no choice but to surrender, resulting in a final score of 66-61. The fans were left in awe as the Golden Bees dethroned the Raptors from their seventh-year winning streak in men’s basketball.
“Happy kaayo mi kay nakuha na jud namo ang championship nga dugay na kaayo namo gustong kuwaon sa CED,” CBA Head Coach Kenneth Lim said.
(We are so happy that we got the championship we wanted to get for a long time from CED.)
To cap off their win, Cornelia was named this year’s Most Valuable Player.
“I think we erased the doubt because of the work we put in,” Cornelia said. “As the team captain, I had to keep the team bonded. Every day, we struggle, we have challenges, and that makes us better.”
The Intramurals 2024 ended with the CBA Golden Bees as the overall first runner-up.
