(FCF / Diego de la Paz)
Amidst a physical game, defending champions San Beda College surged to its third straight win, while Jose Rizal University experienced its first season win streak prior to their clash this weekend during Monday’s National Collegiate Athletic Association hoops action at The Arena in San Juan City.
The Red Lions won its most lopsided game so far with a 78-53 drubbing of the Mapua Institute of Technology, which they routed from the opening moments.
Prior to that, the Heavy Bombers finally experienced a fourth quarter spurt to lead the Emilio Aguinaldo College General by as much as 14 to end the game with an 85-79 win.
The Lions kickstarted the game with three opening treys from Baser Amed and Anthony Semerad to leave the Cardinals for good.
From the second quarter onwards, though, Mapua retaliated with physical defense that drew numerous fouls and sent the Red Lions to the free throw line 29 times. Red Lion forward Anthony Semerad was also taken out of the game due to an apparent concussion after drawing an errant elbow off a Mapua pick.
“Hindi na basketball yun,” an emotional coach Boyet Fernandez lamented after the game. “I have much respect to coach Atoy Co and their players are young, di nila gagawing manakit kung walang nag-utos nun.”
Commenting on Red Lion center Kyle Pascual’s disqualification from the game due to two flagrant fouls that might consequently result in a one-game suspension, Fernandez said that he will appeal the incident to the Technical Committee for a reconsideration.
“Kyle just reacted to defend himself. Sya na nga yung tinitira at sya yung sinisiko,” Fernandez reasoned.
The Red Lions were led by erstwhile Player of the Week Baser Amer with 17 points and 10 rebounds to boost his team to solo second with a 4-1 card. The Cardinals, dropping to 1-4, were led by Joseph Eriobu who chipped in 14 points.
The Heavy Bombers, meanwhile, were sparked by sweet shooting big man Marco Balagtas, who swished four three pointers in the second half, as they erected an insurmountable 14-point lead late in the fourth quarter and shooting for 26 points in a third quarter rampage.
“Binigyan ako ng license to shoot ni coach Vergel [Meneses],” Balagtas commented about his game.
“Basta mahanap ko ang space ko, at bilang big man, sinisikap kong mabigyan ang sarili ng space para maka-shoot.”
Sitting idly at solo fourth place, the Bombers were led by Philip Paniamogan, who topscore with 23 points on top of three steals in his best NCAA game so far. Balagtas added 14 points off a 4-for-6 shooting from the three point arc.
The Generals, now tied for eighth and ninth place with the Cardinals at 1-4, were led by Cedric Noube Happi with 20 points and 15 boards.
BOX SCORES
First game
JOSE RIZAL (85): Paniamogan 23, Mabulac 16, Balagtas 14, Pontejos 12, Juanico 6, Lasquety 5, Salaveria 4, Dela Paz 3, Abanto 2, Benavides 0
EMILIO AGUINALDO (79): Happi 20, Arquero 14, Paguia 12, Tayongtong 10, King 8, Jamon 6, Castro 4, Morada 3, Munsayac 2, Monteclaro 0
QUARTERS: 21-21, 37-34, 63-59, 85-79
Second game
SAN BEDA (78): Amer 17, Dela Cruz 13, Dela Rosa 12, Koga 8, A. Semerad 8, Adeogun 7, Sara 4, Villaruz 2, D. Semerad 2, Mendoza 2, Abarcar 2, Abatayo 1, Bonsubre 0, Pascual 0, Ludovice 0
MAPUA (53): Eriobu 14, Saitanan 12, Brana 8, Cantos 6, Ighalo 6, Estrella 4, Isit 2, Magsigay 1, Biteng 0, Gabo 0, Layug 0
QUARTERS: 21-11, 38-27, 55-44, 78-53
