LYCEUM’S Shane Ko tries to get out of the double-team formed by EAC’s Gigi Manga and Jack Arquero. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
San Beda and La Salle turned it up in the second half to down their respective rivals and clinch quarterfinal slots in the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup yesterday at Filoil Flying V Arena.
Francis Abarcar unloaded 22 points in 22 minutes as the Red Lions crushed St. Benilde, 74-58, to improve to solo third at 5-2 in Group A.
Almond Vosotros also fueled a late breakaway that boosted the Green Archers past Letran, 64-45, and gave La Salle a share of the Group B lead at 6-1.
“I think we did a good job in the second half,” said La Salle coach Gee Abanilla. “In the first half we were missing a lot of open shots and free throws. It was just lack of concentration on our part. But by the second half, we were moving the ball well.”
Vosotros finished with a team-high 16 points, highlighted by three straight triples in the fourth quarter that gave the Archers a huge 55-39 advantage from a slim 30-25 halftime edge.
La Salle and San Beda’s wins towed idle teams Adamson (4-2) and University of Santo Tomas (4-3) to the quarterfinals. The other early quarterfinalists are National University (8-0) and Arellano (6-2) in Group A and Group B’s Ateneo (6-1) and University of the East (5-2).
Baser Amer added 15 points and six rebounds for the Red Lions, who outscored the Blazers, 16-6, in the third period to turn a 39-38 lead to 55-44.
Jeron Teng (11 points) and Norbert Torres (seven points, 12 rebounds) also helped the Archers rebound from an upset loss to University of the East, 53-60, last week.
“The loss to UE was hard to swallow,” said Abanilla. “We used that loss to further improve ourselves.”
Emilio Aguinaldo College picked up its first win by nipping Lyceum, 85-82.
The scores:
First Game
SAN BEDA 74—Abarcar 22, Amer 15, Koga 10, Adeogun 10, Semerad D. 6, Dela Rosa 4, Semerad A. 3, Pascual 2, Sara 2, Mendoza 0, Bonsubre 0.
ST. BENILDE 58—Romero 19, Ongtengco 10, Sinco 8, Grey 5, Argamino 5, Taha 4, Saavedra 3, Jonson 2, Bartolo 1, Carlos 1, Garcia 0.
Quarters: 19-19, 39-38, 55-44, 74-58
Third Game
LA SALLE 64—Vosotros 16, Teng 11, N. Torres 7, Van Opstal 6, Torres T. 4, Reyes 4, Perkins 4, Bolick 4, Salem 4, Dela Paz 2, Paredes 2, Montalbo 0.
LETRAN 45—Cruz 10, Gabawan 8, Nambatac 7, Castro 7, Luib 4, Ruaya 3, Publico 2, Almazan 2, Almario 2, Pantin 0.
Quarters: 20-13, 30-25, 40-33, 64-45