SSC begins four-peat juniors bid in style
By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:01:00 07/01/2008
Filed Under: Basketball
MANILA, Philippines—The San Sebastian College Staglets began their bid for a fourth consecutive championship in style by whipping the Perpetual Help Altalettes, 88-61, Monday at the start of the 84th NCAA juniors basketball tournament at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
Except for a scuffle in the second quarter where four of its players were ejected, San Sebastian controlled the tempo with rookie guard Almond Vosotros and senior center Arvie Bringas fueling the charge.
The 5-foot-10 Vosotros, who sat out the previous season to comply with residency requirements, pumped in 17 points, while Bringas, eyed to beef up the national youth team, had a double-double output of 15 points and 10 rebounds.
“My players were a little overeager,” San Sebastian coach Raymund Valenzona said. “But it’s a good sign because it shows how committed they are to defend our crown.”
What seemed to be a harmless loose-ball scramble turned ugly when San Sebastian’s Jerome Delgado and University of Perpetual Help’s Joshua Alolino got tangled. Moments later, players from both sides, some from the bench, were on the court, shoving each other.
While Delgado and Alolino were called with personal foul each in the aftermath of the fight, the Staglets’ Raffy Gusi, John Trinidad, Jeric Estrada and Joel Laconico, and the Altalettes’ Ronald Torres, Joel Jolangcob, Jesserie Teves and Eugene Canuza were banished from the court for leaving their bench.
Earlier, San Beda College crushed returning Malayan High School of Science (formerly Mapua), 104-33, while Jose Rizal University nipped last year’s losing finalist Letran College, 107-105.
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