Defending champion Diliman College rolled to its third straight win with a 72-66 nipping of Olivarez College on Monday in the PG Flex Linoleum-Universities and Colleges Basketball League at the Olivarez gym in Parañaque City.
Forward Johnnel Bauzon pumped in 20 points and collared 10 rebounds for the Blue Dragons to remain at the helm.
Bauzon overshadowed the efforts of John Lester Maurillo, who erupted for 32 points and grabbed 10 boards in a losing effort for the Sea Lions.
Jethro Sombero, Earl Louis Salazar and Robbi Darang chipped in nine points each for Diliman, while Kevin Gandjeto and Abdoulaye Niang took charge of the defense by hauling 10 boards apiece.
Olivarez threatened in the last 5:16 of the game after a Maurillo layup sliced Diliman’s lead down to 61-60.
But the Blue Dragons held their composure as Darang and Gandjeto scored four straight points to dodge the upset bullet.
Olivarez slipped to its second loss in three games.
University of Batangas, meantime, banked heavily on a torrid third quarter assault to dump National College of Business and Arts, 107-83 and keep its share of the lead with Diliman College.
The Batangas Brahmans outscored the Wildcats, 30-12, in the third on the way to a lopsided win.
Meantime, Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas pulled away from a close first-quarter encounter and clobbered Technological Institute of the Philippines, 90-69 for its first win.
The Dolphins uncorked a 26-17 assault headed by Sandee Diez, Carl Jasper Morillo and Zahui Yousseff to pad their slim 14-13 lead in the first period to a 40-30 advantage en route to their first win in three games.
Diez tallied 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench, Yousseff fired 14 points and hauled 12 boards, and Morillo chipped in 12 points as the Dolphins led by as many as 23 points, 88-65, in the last 2:15 of the game.
Lucien Lumamba also contributed 10 points and 11 boards, Keith Peralta had 10 points and seven assists, and Kenneth Cristobal added 10 points and eight rebounds for PCU-D.
Meantime, defending champion Diliman College streaked to its third win by downing Olivarez College, 72-66, in the first game – thanks to another big game from Johnnel Rey Bauzon.
Bauzon scattered 20 points aside from providing the intangibles that enabled them to protect their unblemished record.
The TIP Engineers last tasted the lead midway of the first quarter after a Jhon Arthur Calisay triple gave them an early 7-2 edge, but it turned out to be their best effort as they slowly lost steam.
Ivan Santos finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds while Warren Calara and Calisay chipped in 18 and 14 points in a losing effort for the Engineers, who plummeted to their third straight defeat.
The Dolphins dominated in all departments, shooting 40-of-83 on the field for 48 percent and outrebounding the Engineers, 52-41.
PCU-D also dished off more assists, 23-14, and steals, 10-7. (Kristel Satumbaga)