SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE

WITHOUT A  De Mesa nets 5X5 championship title for Blue fighters; defies Black Shooters' 'height
NOVELTY advantage'
LEAD
Standing 4'9, Mark De Mesa of Blue Fighters (Grade 10) defied the basketball cliché "height
Headline advantage" when he shook the much taller Black Shooters (Grade 12) with his buzzer-beater
Punch Lead layup in the last ten seconds of the fourth quarter, closing the championship with the score of 95-
94 in the 5X5 basketball event of Intramurals 2023 at Bunsuran National High School, March 9.
Supporting
Lead

WITH A  De Mesa nets 5X5 championship title for Blue fighters; defies Black Shooters' 'height
NOVELTY advantage'
LEAD
Height advantage is not always advantageous.
Headline
Standing 4'9, Mark De Mesa of the Blue Fighters (Grade 10) defied the basketball cliché "height
Punch Lead advantage" when he shook the much taller Black Shooters (Grade 12) with his buzzer-beater
layup in the last ten seconds of the fourth quarter, closing the championship with a score of 95-94
Supporting in the 5x5 basketball event of Intramurals 2023 at Bunsuran National High School on March 9.
Lead

Bridge The Black Shooters' early celebration in the first two quarters and last quarter did not deter the
Blue Fighters from dethroning the former and ending their five-year winning streak.

Quotation "No'ng una nakakatakot po sila [Grade 12 players] kasi po ang tatangkad po nila comparing to
from the us na maliliit lang po. Pero, iyon po siguro 'yong nag-push po sa amin na galingan na kahit
key player matangkad po sila, kaya po naming silang talunin," said De Mesa.

Play by Black shooters initiated the intensity during the first quarter when its main shooter Renzo
play Balmaceda successively threw five two-point scores and one three-point score, demoralizing Blue
Fighters who tried to break the drought in the last two minutes of the game with De Mesa's
successive three two-point scores, ending the opening quarter with 20-10.

Black Shooters reinstated their dominance in the second quarter with the power combination
between shooters Marco Manalaysay and France Lagus, 12 points and 10 points, respectively,
that dismantled the attempts of the Blue Fighters to lower the score difference in the last one
minute to 62-40.
However, a small giant woke up from a deep sleep when De Mesa and Mike Sta. Ynes of the Blue
Fighters dropped the interval of the scores to four points, 73-77, in the third quarter after
contributing 33 points, which they earned from steals and consecutive free throws.

After the first half of the last quarter with an additional 6 points, the Black Shooters became
complacent, which allowed the Blue Fighters to recover and start the heated exchange of steals
and rebounds, leading to a nail-biting 94-94 score at 9:42 until De Mesa dropped the greatest
bomb in the last ten seconds—a two-point score that ended the game.
Quotation "Nakatulong 'yong ginawa namin na hindi namin minadali ang laro. We took time to think of
strategies to conquer them and yon na nga ang nangyari, an epic comeback," Sir Pablo Jacinto,
coach of Blue Fighters, said.

Losing Despite the unexpected improvements of the Blue Fighters in the middle part of the game, the
Team's best Black Shooters amplified their game plan by stabilizing their blocking techniques and footwork;
game however, the former seemed to be determined to win and used their shortness to surpass the
blocks that created exciting and breath-taking rallies in the whole fourth quarter.
Quotation "Mahusay sumabay ang kalaban [Blue Fighters]. Unexpected 'yong mga movements nila. Parang
inaral nila kami no'ng first quarter until second quarter. Tapos, nag-isip sila ng way para matalo
kami," Manalaysay said.

Statistics Overall, Blue Fighters made 15 three points, 21 two points, and 8 free throws compared to Black
Shooters' 21 three points, 13 two points, and 5 free throws.

Balmaceda remained the top scorer in the basketball event for three consecutive years after
contributing 60 points (15 three points, 6 two points, and 3 free throws) in opposed to Blue Fighters'
top scorer De Mesa who contributed 45 points (10 three points, 7 two points, and 1 free throw).
 SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
WITHOUT A  De Mesa nets 5X5 championship title for Blue fighters; defies Black Shooters' 'height
NOVELTY advantage'
LEAD
Standing 4'9, Mark De Mesa of Blue Fighters (Grade 10) defied the basketball cliché "height
Headline advantage" when he shook the much taller Black Shooters (Grade 12) with his buzzer-beater
Punch Lead layup in the last ten seconds of the fourth quarter, closing the championship with the score of 95-
94 in the 5X5 basketball event of Intramurals 2023 at Bunsuran National High School, March 9.
Supporting
Lead

WITH A  De Mesa nets 5X5 championship title for Blue fighters; defies Black Shooters' 'height
NOVELTY advantage'
LEAD
Height advantage is not always advantageous.
Headline
Standing 4'9, Mark De Mesa of the Blue Fighters (Grade 10) defied the basketball cliché "height
Punch Lead advantage" when he shook the much taller Black Shooters (Grade 12) with his buzzer-beater
layup in the last ten seconds of the fourth quarter, closing the championship with a score of 95-94
Supporting in the 5x5 basketball event of Intramurals 2023 at Bunsuran National High School on March 9.
Lead

Bridge The Black Shooters' early celebration in the first two quarters and last quarter did not deter the
Blue Fighters from dethroning the former and ending their five-year winning streak.

Quotation "No'ng una nakakatakot po sila [Grade 12 players] kasi po ang tatangkad po nila comparing to
from the us na maliliit lang po. Pero, iyon po siguro 'yong nag-push po sa amin na galingan na kahit
key player matangkad po sila, kaya po naming silang talunin," said De Mesa.

Play by Black shooters initiated the intensity during the first quarter when its main shooter Renzo
play Balmaceda successively threw five two-point scores and one three-point score, demoralizing Blue
Fighters who tried to break the drought in the last two minutes of the game with De Mesa's
successive three two-point scores, ending the opening quarter with 20-10.

Black Shooters reinstated their dominance in the second quarter with the power combination
between shooters Marco Manalaysay and France Lagus, 12 points and 10 points, respectively,
that dismantled the attempts of the Blue Fighters to lower the score difference in the last one
minute to 62-40.
However, a small giant woke up from a deep sleep when De Mesa and Mike Sta. Ynes of the Blue
Fighters dropped the interval of the scores to four points, 73-77, in the third quarter after
contributing 33 points, which they earned from steals and consecutive free throws.

After the first half of the last quarter with an additional 6 points, the Black Shooters became
complacent, which allowed the Blue Fighters to recover and start the heated exchange of steals
and rebounds, leading to a nail-biting 94-94 score at 9:42 until De Mesa dropped the greatest
bomb in the last ten seconds—a two-point score that ended the game.
Quotation "Nakatulong 'yong ginawa namin na hindi namin minadali ang laro. We took time to think of
strategies to conquer them and yon na nga ang nangyari, an epic comeback," Sir Pablo Jacinto,
coach of Blue Fighters, said.

Losing Despite the unexpected improvements of the Blue Fighters in the middle part of the game, the
Team's best Black Shooters amplified their game plan by stabilizing their blocking techniques and footwork;
game however, the former seemed to be determined to win and used their shortness to surpass the
blocks that created exciting and breath-taking rallies in the whole fourth quarter.
Quotation "Mahusay sumabay ang kalaban [Blue Fighters]. Unexpected 'yong mga movements nila. Parang
inaral nila kami no'ng first quarter until second quarter. Tapos, nag-isip sila ng way para matalo
kami," Manalaysay said.

Statistics Overall, Blue Fighters made 15 three points, 21 two points, and 8 free throws compared to Black
Shooters' 21 three points, 13 two points, and 5 free throws.

Balmaceda remained the top scorer in the basketball event for three consecutive years after
contributing 60 points (15 three points, 6 two points, and 3 free throws) in opposed to Blue Fighters'
top scorer De Mesa who contributed 45 points (10 three points, 7 two points, and 1 free throw).