By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Saturday
(Olivarez College gym)
12 noon – UB vs BulSU
2 p.m. – CdSL vs TIP
With a loaded bench, defending champion Centro Escolar University has enough tools to fill up the slack left by prized reinforcement Rod Ebondo.
Backups Joseph Manlangit and Rich Guinitaran provided the offensive punch yesterday as the Scorpions got back at Diliman College, 75-63, and secured the first Final Four incentive in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL) Season 2 at the Olivarez College gym in Sucat, Parañaque City.
Steady guard Orlan Wamar tallied 18 points, spiked by three triples, but it was the unlikely duo of Manlangit and Guinitaran who ignited their decisive breakaway in the second period that enabled the Scorpions to pull away from the sluggish Blue Dragons.
Manlangit and Guinitaran tallied 23 points, 16 of them coming in their telling run which CEU utilized as a springboard to build a lead as high of 21 before holding off Diliman College’s uprising in the stretch with ease.
“It’s all about the desire of the players. They also proved that there is still life even without Rod,” said coach Yong Garcia, pleased with CEU’s latest performance en route to its fourth consecutive win and 10th overall in 11 starts, keeping itself atop the eight-team field.
Diliman College, meanwhile, failed to duplicate a 59-56 win over CEU last October 7 and suffered its fourth consecutive setback but still remained at fourth spot with a 7-5 record.
In the other match, Colegio de San Lorenzo survived Lyceum-Batangas’ gritty stand 92-87.
Benin native Soulemane Chabi Yo did most of the heavy lifting with 34 points, 23 rebounds and three blocks, before locals Jan Formento and James Alvarado sealed the deal with four freebies inside the final 10 seconds to help the Griffins stave off the Pirates’ upset bid.
It was the fourth straight victory and ninth overall in 10 outings for CdSL, which also gave Lyceum-Batangas the big boot with its eighth loss overall against three wins.
First Game
CEU 75 – Wamar 18, Uri 13, Manlangit 12, Guinitaran 11, Umeanozie 8, Caballero 4, Intic 3, Arim 2, Baconcon 2, Cruz 2, Demigaya 0, Fuentes 0, Galinato 0.
Diliman 63 – Diakhite 21, Darang 10, Brutas 9, Gerero 9, Mondala 5, Corpuz 4, Bauzon 3, Ligon 2, Chavenia 0, Handag 0, Mbiya 0, Salazar 0, Sombero 0.
Quarters: 19-15, 42-28, 62-43, 75-63.
Second Game
CdSL 92 – Chabi Yo 34, Formento 20, Alvarado 16, Sablan 9, Laman 6, Borja 4, Ancheta 2, Rojas 1, Callano 0, Vargas 0.
Lyceum-Batangas 87 – Buen 19, Saliente 18, Fernandez 14, Lapasaran 13, Eranes 10, Villaluna 9, Axalan 2, Villanueva 2, Solitario 0.
Quarters: 23-15, 45-40, 71-66, 92-87.
