INQUIRER Sports

WITH ROOKIE SURPRISE PACKAGE JERALD Bautista taking the helm, STI made a decisive charge in the third quarter to defeat New Era, 93-82, yesterday and finish as No. 3 team after the elimination round of the National Athletics Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities men?s basketball at the UM Gym.

Hardly a factor in the Olympians? previous games, the 6-foot-1 Bautista rampaged with 32 points, most of them in the third quarter where they outscored the Hunters, 27-16, on the way to their eighth victory in 11 games.

STI, last year?s runner-up, actually finished tied with Lyceum of Subic and Informatics at 8-3, but the win gave the Olympians a superior quotient to rank third in the second-round.

The Olympians will fight cyber-rival AMA Computer Titans at the start of the second round today at the Pasay Sports Complex.

Veteran Mclean Sabellina added 15 points, and Norman Ihalas 10 for the Olympians.

Despite getting eliminated with a 3-8 card, the Hunters kept the game close, finishing the first half just five points behind.

The teams who made it to the second round will tangle in another round robin to determine the semifinalists. The top two teams will enjoy twice-to-beat bonus when No. 1 takes on No. 4, and No. 2 squares off with No. 3.

The scores:
STI 93?Bautista 32, Sabellina 15, Ihalas 10, Carino 9, Po 6, Antonio 5, Reyes 4, Pascual 2, Cruz 2, Bocablo 1, Orias 0.

NEU 82?Villarosa 23, Santos 10, Sarmiento 8, Lopez 8, Tanglao 8, Acuna 7, Sevilla 7, Maestrado 6, Quebec 5.
Quarters: 29-18, 46-41, 73-57, 93-82