Stags avoid second straight OT defeat, but Altas put loss under protest
San Sebastian forward CJ Perez soars for a layup against Perpetual Help guard Juneric Baloria in their NCAA Season 88 game on Monday. (FCF / Martin San Diego)
It was headed for another deja vu finish for San Sebastian College. But this time, they escape on the skin of their teeth with the victory.
In their second straight overtime encounter in a span of a week, the Stags posted a 78-77 victory over Perpetual Help in Monday’s NCAA Season 88 action at The Arena in San Juan City.
Saved once again by Jamil Ortuoste, who scored all five of the Stags’ points in the extra session and totalled for 14 points in the match, the wards of head coach Topex Robinson moved up to .500 with an even 2-2 record.
“Again, as ugly as it seems, a win is a win. It’s gonna make us better. If it takes us to play all those overtime games, we’re ready for that,” said San Sebastian head coach Topex Robinson, following the close finish to their second straight match that needed extra five-minute sessions to finish.
“We just have to really appreciate the effort these guys put for us in. They put themselved in a hole again and they dug themselves out of that.”
Down 18 by the break, the Altas roared back on a 26-8 surge led by Juneric Baloria’s 12 points in the third period to tie the game at 56.
But with CJ Perez saddled with four fouls during the final quarter, Gio Vergara came off the bench and provided the much-needed spark to score all of his eight points in his 12 minute spell on the court.
In the dying seconds with a two point advantage at 73-71, Ortuoste missed a pair of free throws that could have gave them a two-possession lead with 15 ticks on the clock. His second missed foul throw resulted in a mad scramble that led to an eventual tipoff won by the Altas. Harold Arboleda broke free for a layup to tie the game at 73.
In the extra five minutes, the Stags seemed to have an upper hand thanks to the Altas’ multiple missed treys and Ortuoste’s scoring spree that put them ahead, 78-74, with under a minute left. But Baloria finally gets a three pointer to drop with less than 38.1 ticks left to get within one.
De Vera, who had not attempted a single free throw in the match, muffed two foul shots to keep the door ajar for the Altas.
But in the final plays, De Vera made up for the missed foul shots on the defensive end, denying Arboleda a layup at the buzzer to preserve the victory.
Perez led the way for San Sebastian with 17 points before fouling out late in regulation, while De Vera added 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Despite the result, Altas head coach Aric Del Rosario placed the game under protest due to a “misintepreted call” late in the second period, where San Sebastian guard Jon Rebollos fired a shot and kicked his legs to the groin of Baloria.
According to Del Rosario, the point of contention of the calls was that Rebollos’ shot was counted, but Baloria was not given two free throws as a result of the Stags already in the bonus.
Rookie guard Baloria finished with a season-high 33 points with nine rebounds and three assists, while Arboleda and Nick Omorogbe each finished with 15 points in a losing cause.
Red Lions post back-to-back wins, rout Generals in second half comeback
(FCF / Diego de la Paz)
Meanwhile, San Beda College came out victorious for the second straight game, beating Emilio Aguinaldo College via an 80-65 result in the day’s opening match.
Flanked by former Red Cubs Arthur De La Cruz and Baser Amer, the Red Lions improve their slate to 2-1 for the season. De La Cruz finished with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Amer posted 14 points and nine assists.
“The boys really played and stepped up in the second half. They played bad in the first half but they didn’t want to lose this game,” said first-year San Beda mentor Boyet Fernandez of their team’s second straight victory.
But it wasn’t a ride on Easy Street for the three-time defending champions, as they once again exhibited a diesel-engine start that led to their loss against Lyceum in their second game of the tournament. Jan Jamon and surprise performer Jack Arquero led the charge with a combined 17 point output for the Generals to give them a five point lead at the break.
“They probably think it was a walk in the park. Pero sabi ko sa kanila na ibalik ang energy at intensity natin nung laro natin sa Arellano,” intimated Fernandez on their halftime huddle.
But Amer, who served more as a facilitator in the first half, took over with 10 points in 12 minutes of action to propel the Mendiola-based institution to the lead and never looked back.
Igee King finished with one of his best career performances with 18 points and five rebounds. Guards John Tayongtong and Jan Jamon had 12 and 10 points apiece. Big man Cedric Noube Happi was limited to just eight points and 10 rebounds in the contest.
BOX SCORES
First game
SAN BEDA (80): De La Cruz 18, Amer 14, De La Rosa 9, Pascual 8, Adeogun 6, Sara 6, Abarcar 5, A. Semerad 4, Koga 4, Ludovice 4, D. Semerad 2, Bonsubre 0, Villaruz 0, Abatayo 0
EAC (65): King 18, Tayongtong 12, Jamon 10, Happi 8, Arquero 7, Paguia 3, Monteclaro 3, Castro 2, Hiole Manga 2, Munsayac 0, Saludo 0, Onwubere 0, Morada 0
QUARTERS: 16-18, 34-39, 58-52, 80-65
Second game
SAN SEBASTIAN (78): Perez 17, De Vera 15, Ortuoste 14, Guinto 11, Vergara 8, Rebollos 6, Tano 4, Dela Cruz 3, Balucanag 0, Gusi 0, Magno 0
PERPETUAL HELP (77): Baloria 33, Arboleda 15, Omorogbe 15, Alano 9, Elopre 3, Lucente 2, Oliveria 0, Dizon 0, Thompson 0, Bantayan 0, Paulino 0, Jolangcob 0
QUARTERS: 22-12, 48-30, 56-56, 73-73, 78-77 (OT)
