Stags shuffle Cards; Heavy Bombers up
San Sebastian relied on its airtight defense in the final period to crush Mapua, 68-49, yesterday and extend its unbeaten slate to four games in the 86th NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
The Stags held the Cardinals to just four points in the last 10 minutes and went on to gain a piece of the lead with idle San Beda.
Calvin Abueva finished with 18 points that went with 12 rebounds and three assists, while Ronald Pascual contributed 17 points for the Stags, who prevailed despite shooting just 38 percent on the floor.
“We played really tough defense in the fourth quarter,” said San Sebastian coach Ato Agustin, whose team held the Cardinals to just 14 field goals in the entire game.
Earlier, Jose Rizal University hacked out a 74-65 victory over St. Benilde to register its fourth straight win in five games.
Raycon Kabigting, thrust into the starting lineup this season following the departure of former MVP John Wilson, scored 14 points, half of them in the final period.
JRU coach Vergel Meneses, however, was unimpressed with his crew’s form.
“Our offense was in disarray,” he said. “We need to improve. We can’t play like this against the bigger teams like San Sebastian.”
The Bombers failed to make a single field goal in the last eight minutes.
Meanwhile, the NCAA management committee, acting on the recommendation of commissioner Aric del Rosario, decided to forfeit San Beda’s 86-71 win against Letran in the juniors division over Red Cub Baser Amer’s failure to wear the correct uniform.
It was San Beda’s first loss in four games.
In juniors’ action, Mapua stunned San Sebastian, 75-72, for its second win in four games, while JRU pipped La Salle Green Hills, 92-89, in overtime to improve to 3-2.
The seniors scores:
First Game
JRU 74—Kabigting 14, Bulangis 13, Etame 12, Almario 8, Njei 7, Lopez 5, Montemayor 5, Matute 4, Hayes 4, Apinan 2.
ST. BENILDE 65—Lastimosa 19, de Guzman 14, dela Paz 11, Abolucion 7, McCoy 6, Wong 3, Tan 3, Argamino 2, Sinco 0, Nayve 0, Amin 0, Manalac 0.
Quarters: 18-16, 36-33, 56-49, 74-65
Second Game
SAN SEBASTIAN 68—Abueva 18, Pascual 17, Bulawan 12, Raymundo 8, Semira 4, del Rio 4, Gatchalian 3, Sangalang 2, Gorospe 0, dela Cruz 0, Maconocido 0.
MAPUA 49—Cornejo 10, Sarangay 8, Stevens 7, Parala 6, Pascual 5, Maniego 3, Ranises 1, Cabrera 0, Acosta 0.
Quarters: 20-18, 35-31, 47-45, 68-49
