DAVAO CITY -- Twelve-year-old Allyn Pechon proved that a girl can play basketball with boys and she is quite good at it as she helped Barangay Buhangin snatch its fourth straight win in bracket A in the ongoing Summer Children's Games 2017 Under-12 3-on-3 basketball tournament at the Camp Domingo E. Leonor, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) covered court here Friday.
Barangay Buhangin, which escaped past Barangay Cabantian, 5-4, earned a seat in the Round of 16 along with barangays 7-A, Duterte Agdao, 76-A Bucana, Sto. Niño, Bantol, Talomo Proper and 10-A.
Pechon, of Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte is an incoming Grade 6 student at Davao Jones Academy (DJA) where she is a stay-in varsity scholar.
"Karon rako nakadula og liga, first time nako ni. Nalingaw ko kay uban nako sa tim mga lalaki og halos pud among mga nakadula mga lalaki pud. Maayo ni siya nga experience na makadula lahi-lahing mga barangay diri sa Davao (This is my first ever league. I enjoyed playing with my male teammates and playing against other all-male teams. This has been a good experience for me to play with other barangay teams of Davao)," the avid Stephen Curry fan said.
Her kababayan Kymwell Keliminiano, 11, also joined the team composed of Mark Cabeza, an incoming Grade 8 student of DJA, and Euseph Toledo, who graduated Grade 6 valedictorian of DJA.
Coach Jimmy Calicot, Jr. said, "Dako kaayong gamit si Allyn, maayo siya nga point guard (Allyn contributes a lot to the team. She is a good point guard)."
The five-foot-11 Cabeza, 12, said it was fun to play with barangay teams and seeing other schoolmates representing other barangays.
Meanwhile, Barangay 7-A defeated Barangay Marapangi B, 4-1, to improve to a 4-1 win-loss record in bracket B while Duterte Agdao routed Barangay Bantol of Marilog District, 8-3, after whipping Barangay Vicente Hizon, 8-1, to stay unbeaten in bracket C and Barangay 76-A Bucana crushed Barangay 2-A, 10-2, to lead Bracket D with 4-0.
The Summer Children's Games 2017 is a component of the Mindanao Sports for Peace program of the Philippine Sports Commission under Chairman William Ramirez. (PSI)