Clemente lifts Bullpups past Hope cagers

JOHN Clemente erupted for 32 points as National University clobbered Hope Christian High School, 105-86, Saturday and barged into the quarterfinals of the 8th Smart-PCABL (Philippine Chinese Amateur Basketball League) Freego Cup at Philippine Buddhacare Academy gym in Quezon City.

Clemente made all but two of his 15 shots from the field and grabbed seven rebounds to claim another Freego Player of the Game award.

Three other NU players scored in double figures as the Bullpups secured their fifth win in as many outings in the Group B eliminations.

NU’s joy was shared by University of Santo Tomas, which snapped Jose Rizal University’s four-game winning streak with an 84-78 win in the tournament also sponsored by Plastic Linoleum, Hapee Toothpaste, Insular Square (Cebu), Fed Seal, K TechSports Inc., and New Pioneer Auto Supply (Cebu).

UST won for the third time in five games.

In other games, Malayan crushed Xavier, 95-62, to roll into the quarterfinals, while Lyceum won for the first time in six games by downing University of the East, 87-57.

Sherwin Concepcion and Florencio Serrano led the Red Robins with 18 points each.

Already in the quarterfinals are Group B teams Ateneo (5-0), De La Salle-Zobel (5-0), UP-Integrated School (5-1) and Arellano (5-1).