Centro Escolar University leaned on another big third quarter assault and carved out an 81-65 win over Colegio De San Lorenzo to jumpstart its second round campaign in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL) yesterday at the Olivarez College Sports Center in Parañaque City.
Both teams started slow and shot poorly in the first two quarters that ended at 29-all, but the CEU Scorpions suddenly came alive in the third, exploding for 30 points while holding the Griffins to just 10 points.
That gave them a commanding 59-39 lead which the Scorpions wisely protected to notch their seventh straight win in the tournament presented by Lamoiyan Corp. and Euro Med.
Congolese Rodrigue Ebondo led CEU’s well-balanced attack with 18 points and 10 boards while Patrick Aquino had 13 as they snapped CDSL’s two-game winning streak.
Karlo Casino and Ric Fuentes also shone offensively for CEU with 11 points each.
Meantime, Bulacan State University weathered Diliman College’s furious comeback and eked out a pulsating 79-73 win in the first game.
Christian Necio, Leonard de Leon and Vincent de la Cruz scored the Golden Gears’ last six points to finally take the fight out of the Blue Dragons who played minus coach Renzy Bajar.
With the win, BSU tied with Olivarez College Sea Lions for third to fourth places with similar 3-3 cards.
The Gold Gears dominated the first two quarters, but the Blue Dragons came back strongly in the third that set the tone for an exciting finish.
Protecting a slim 75-73 lead, BSU went to De Leon and Dela Cruz who responded by hitting two clutch baskets to end Diliman’s comeback bid.