Davao Eagles Edge Ilocos in Palarong Pambansa
Davao Region edged Ilocos, 72–69, in a thrilling Palarong Pambansa basketball clash. Despite Ilocos’ late comeback, Davao held on for the win. Led by key players Peligrino and Baterbonia, the Eagles continued their unbeaten run.
The Davao Eagles survived a late fourth-quarter comeback from the Ilocos Region to secure a narrow 72–69 victory in the secondary boys’ basketball competition of the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte.
Playing at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena in Laoag City, Davao maintained control for most of the game before Ilocos rallied in the final period. The home crowd added to the pressure as the Ilocos squad cut into Davao’s lead and brought the contest within a single possession.
Despite the late surge, the Eagles held their composure in the closing moments to preserve the three-point victory.
The Davao lineup was anchored by student-athletes from Ateneo de Davao University. Among the players highlighted throughout Davao’s tournament run were Jhon Mark Peligrino and Rene Clert Baterbonia, who later emerged as major contributors in the championship. Baterbonia eventually earned Most Valuable Player honors and a place in the tournament’s mythical five.
The victory over Ilocos proved crucial in Davao’s unbeaten elimination-round campaign. The Eagles finished the eliminations with a 4–0 record, also defeating Western Visayas, BARMM, and MIMAROPA. They later defeated Northern Mindanao, 76–48, in the quarterfinals before edging Central Luzon, 66–65, in the semifinals.
Davao eventually completed its historic campaign by defeating Western Visayas, 67–51, in the championship game on May 30. The victory gave the Davao Region its first-ever Palarong Pambansa gold medal in secondary boys’ basketball, after five previous silver-medal finishes. Peligrino and Baterbonia both scored 19 points in the championship game.
The 72–69 escape against Ilocos thus became an early test of the Eagles’ composure, a three-point battle that helped set the tone for their historic run to the championship.
