John Paul Dionisio rushed a layup with six seconds left to lift home team Berkeley School past Lucena City representative International School for Better Beginnings, 55-54, for the Small Basketeers Philippines (SBP) Luzon crown over the weekend at the Easter College court in Baguio City over the weekend.

All the host squad needed to do after that was clog the lanes and force the visitors to take a harried attempt from beyond the arc which failed, denying ISBB of a chance to keep the crown it won last year.

ISBB made sure it did not go home empty-handed, however, as it successfully defended the Passerelle crown over Don Bosco Technical Institute, 75-63.

Berkeley School and ISBB will march into the national finals of this tournament organized by the BEST Center (Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center), sponsored by Milo and backed by Rain of Shine, Chris Sports and SKLZ.

The national championships will be held in Roxas City on a date to be announced by BEST Center founder and president Nic Jorge soon.

Also seeing action in the national finals of the SBP are La Salle-Greenhills (NCR) and  Corpus Christi School of Cagayan de Oro (Mindanao).

The national Passerelle championships will have Nazareth School of National University (NCR) and Xavier School Junior High School of Cagayan de Oro (Mindanao).

The Visayas Regional Finals will be held at the Pototan Astrodome in Iloilo on November 9 and 10.PR