Davao City's Toyomoto Auto Supply retain crown as NBTC Mindanao Regional champions.
Davao City kept its stranglehold of the pinnacle down south as Toyomoto Auto Supply repeated as victors in the 2025 Smart-NBTC Mindanao Regional Championship, warding off Notre Dame of Midsayap Rams, 84-63, last Feb. 9 at the brand new Oroquieta City Bayfront Arena in Misamis Occidental.
Karlo Caezar Estomo kickstarted the blowout, firing seven of his game-high 32 points in a blazing 21-10 first quarter to set the tone in the finale.
He shot a sizzling 5-of-9 clip from beyond the arc while also grabbing 10 rebounds and snaring two steals in the clincher to be rightfully named as the Regional Most Outstanding Player.
From there, everything just came together for Toyomoto, with Andrei Cabagtong adding 12 points, six assists, and five rebounds, and John Michael Quiamco notching nine points, five boards, and five dimes for the back-to-back champions.
Mythical Team member Kurt John Bustamante did his best to help NDMC stage a comeback, putting up 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists but the Davao City bets were just too much for the Cotabato crew.
Still, the two finalists booked their seats in the 2025 Smart-NBTC National Finals as the Mindanao representatives.
Also earning their places in the Mythical Five of the tourney, which was presented by SM Supermalls and Playtime Cares, were Joseph Dumdum of Toyland Bistro of Cagayan de Oro, Karl Benedict Wood of AGCCI of Davao City, and Romed Marshal Barnachea of LPU-Davao.
On the other hand, Toyland Bistro and AGCCI punched the last two Mindanao tickets to the Nationals through the Regional Wildcard.
Losing in the semifinals, the Cagay-anons vented their ire on LPU-Davao, 96-87, with Dumdum showing the way with 28 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and three steals.
AGCCI also made the most of its second chance, thumping High Hoops of Bukidnon, 91-57, as Wood nabbed 24 points, seven assists, and three blocks and Benedict Morales adding 19 points.
The Regional Championships continue on Feb. 27 to March 2 in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental for the Visayas Regional Championships with four more tickets up for grabs in the National Finals, which is also sponsored by Adidas, Molten, Swish, and JProject.