By: Jerome Lagunzad
Games Tuesday
(The Arena, San Juan City)
8 a.m. – Arellano vs Perpetual (jrs)
10 a.m. – JRU vs EAC (jrs)
12 noon – Arellano vs Perpetual (srs)
2 p.m. – JRU vs EAC (srs)
4 p.m. – Letran vs SSC (srs)
6 p.m. – Letran vs SSC (jrs)
Defending champion San Beda achieved what it set out to do against a decimated Mapua side yesterday. But coach Boyet Fernandez was unimpressed.
“We played bad in the fourth quarter,” lamented Fernandez following the Red Lions’ 66-55 victory over the struggling Cardinals that tightened their hold of the second spot in the 93rd NCAA seniors basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.
Cameroon center Donald Tankoua continued to make steady progress after being sidelined by an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury last year as he finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Veteran forward Javee Mocon contributed 10 markers and six boards to help San Beda rack up its fifth straight win and sixth overall in seven starts, staying hot on the heels of pace-setting Lyceum (7-0).
The Lions, however, looked sluggish against the Cardinals who showed plenty of fight despite missing the services of top gun Andoy Estrella due to a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury and solid guard Leo Gabo playing limited minutes due to a swollen ankle.
“If we played the way we played in the fourth quarter, I think we’ll have a hard time,” said the two-time NCAA champion coach who was forced to bring back his starters with a little over a minute left after the Cardinals cut a 25-point deficit to just nine. “I just have to let the other guys realize na hindi pwedeng ganun-ganun lang ang basketball. I hope my players realize that.”
The scores :
SBC 66 – Tankoua 11, Mocon 10, Potts 8, Bolick 6, Soberano 6, Cabanag 5, Carino 4, Bahio 4, Doliguez 3, Adamos 3, Tongco 2, Presbitero 2, Oftana 2, Abuda 0.
MAPUA 55 – Bunag 20, Orquina 11, Magboo 10, Nieles 6, Victoria 4, Aguirre 2, Gabo 2, Jimenez 0, Raflores 0.
Quarterscores: 23-6, 31-20, 51-32, 66-55.
SSC 101 – Calisaan 20, Gayosa 15, Bulanadi 13, David 9, Mercado 8, Calma 8, Navarro 7, Baetiong 6, Capobres 5, Ilagan 4, Costelo 3, Baytan 3, Are 0, Quipse 0, Valdez 0.
CSB 71 – Naboa 17, Dixon 15, Leutcheu 12, Pili 8, Sta. Maria 8, San Juan 6, Suarez 3, Castor 2, Domingo 0, Velasco 0.
Quarterscores: 28-21, 51-35, 74-53, 101-71.
LETRAN 63 – Quinto 14, Nambatac 12, Balanza 12, Calvo 11, Pascual 5, Vacaro 4, Ambohot 2, Balagasay 2, Caralipio 1, Taladua 0, Bernabe 0.
PERPETUAL 61 – Eze 18, Dagangon 10, Ylagan 7, Yuhico 5, Sadiwa 5, Tamayo 5, Coronel 4, Hao 3, Pido 2, Mangalino 2, Singontiko 0, Lucente 0.
Quarterscores: 14-7, 24-19, 39-36, 63-61.
