GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Cagayan de Oro defeated Davao City, 19-15, to bag the gold medal in the girls 3x3 basketball tournament of the Batang Pinoy 2025 at the Holy Trinity College compound on Wednesday.
The CDO team of Jasmine Reyes, Cathleen Kate Rondina, Zia Serino, and Anika Siao won over the Davao quartet of Princess Sullera, Mary Grace Sumalinog, Alexa Lian Cinco, and Angel Mae De Vera.
Reyes lorded the paint and scored most of her points from the inside to lead the charge for Cagayan de Oro.
Rondina, a distant cousin of volleyball player Sisi Rondina from her grandfather's side, also made outside shots and layups despite her pint size.
CDO got a measure of revenge after it was defeated, 16-15, in the group stage in Pool A.
Cagayan De Oro also beat Davao Del Sur, 21-7, and Koronadal, 20-10, and Cebu City, 21-9, in pool play.
In the early rounds of the knockout stage, CDO beat Mati City, 21-4, in the round of 16, and Davao de Oro, 21-5. Earlier in the day, it defeated Bulacan, 19-15, in the semifinals.
Meaningful gold for CDO
The title is a fitting send-off for Reyes, who at 17 has already played her final Batang Pinoy. But even before the competition, Reyes has been in talks with Metro Manila teams, declining to say which squads were interested in her.
“Meron po,” answered the Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School product when asked if she was being recruited.
Meanwhile, the 16-year-old Rondina, who also studies at Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School, said the team prepared for two months for the competition.
“Nung tapos na ‘yung time, sobrang sarap sa pakiramdam. First time namin nakalaro ng Batang Pinoy,” she said.
Rondina didn’t follow in the footsteps of her distant cousin as well as her sister to go into volleyball, and started playing basketball at age eight.
“Sobrang sarap sa mata ‘yung mga moves,” said Rondina. “Eto po talaga ang hilig ko. Mga lalaki mga kalaro ko.”
Rondina also doesn't mind playing against much-taller players, as she stated, “Bilog ang bola.”
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