Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
It was a day when the point guards stood tallest.
Arellano’s Jiovani Jalaon and Letran’s Mark Cruz delivered awe-inspiring performances for their respective teams as the Chiefs and Knights boosted their Final Four drive Friday with impressive victories yesterday in the 91st NCAA basketball tournament at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
The 5-foot-8 Jalalon prevailed in his duel with Perpetual Help’s reigning MVP Scottie Thompson, finishing with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists to power the Chiefs to an 84-77 overtime victory over the Altas.
A few hours earlier, the 5-foot-5 Cruz unleashed a late flurry of triples to lead the Knights to a 74-57 whipping of the Lyceum Pirates and a share of the lead with the San Beda Lions with a 10-2 mark.
St. Benilde coasted to its third win in 12 games after an 81-57 drubbing of a listless Emilio Aguinaldo College team.
Cruz fired 17 of his 26 points in the final period, including five treys that allowed the Knights to rip the game apart.
“I expect anyone from my team to step up every time teams play zone on us and it’s just that Mark (Cruz) stepped up in this game,” said Letran coach Aldin Ayo.
The crafty Jalalon proved unstoppable down the stretch, scoring on a dazzling array of drives and three-pointers.
Jalalon admitted he was challenged by the performance of Thompson, his friend and teammate in the national team that won gold in the Southeast Asian Games early this year.
“I wanted to prove that I could match up against him because I know he already got drafted in the PBA,” said Jalalon of Thompson who tallied his fifth triple-double of the season—24 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
First Game
LETRAN 74—Cruz 26, Racal 19, Sollano 10, Nambatac 9, Luib 5, Balagasay 4, Balanza 1, Apreku 0, Calvo 0, Quinto 0.
LYCEUM 57—Nguidjol 20, Baltazar 14, Lugo 6, Lacastesantos 4, Alanes 4, Ayaaay 4, Bulawan 3, Taladua 2, Soliman 0, Marata 0, Mbida 0.
Quarters: 17-11, 28-25, 47-42, 74-57