Donald Gumaru. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
KENT Salado stepped up in the absence of Jiovani Jalalon as Arellano fought back from a double-digit halftime deficit to nip San Sebastian, 80-78, yesterday in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup.
With Jalalon skipping the game to honor his commitment with the Gilas Cadet team that left for the Seaba Championship yesterday, the Chiefs turned to Salado who tallied 17 points and dished out nine assists.
Donald Gumaru also rose to the challenge for the Chiefs in their big second-half fightback, finishing with 16 points while Allen Enriquez and Brylle Mecca wound up with 10 apiece.
Trailing 35-52 at the half to a quick-starting San Sebastian squad, the Chiefs turned the tables on the Stags with an early surge in the second half fueled by Gumaru’s hot shooting.
The victory gave the Chiefs a share of top spot in Group A with Perpetual Help, which absorbed its first loss in five outings after a 57-62 defeat to Far Eastern U.
La Salle leads Group B after scoring a third straight win at the expense of Mapua, 93-76, Thursday night in a game marred by the ejection of Archers guard Kib Montalbo and Cardinals center Allwell Oraeme due to a scuffle in the fourth quarter.
The Tamaraws, who ruled the UAAP last season, also snapped a three-game losing slide to improve to 2-3, tying the Stags in fifth spot in Group A.
What made the win even more remark-able for the Tamaraws was the fact that they pulled off the win sans coach Nash Racela, who joined Jalalon in the Bangkok trip as head coach of the Gilas cadets.
Perpetual Help’s Nigerian center, Bright Akhuetie, managed six points, just two days after a starring for Mighty Sports in the PCBL semifinals.
The scores:
First Game
ARELLANO 80—Salado 18, Gumaru 16, Meca 10, Enriquez 10, Flores 9, Holts 5, Villoria 4, Cadavis 2, Filart 2, Canete 2, Aguilar 2, Nichols 0, Rivera 0, Abanes 0.
SAN SEBASTIAN 78—Calisaan 19, Fabian 8, Costelo 8, Capobres 7, Gayosa 6, Ilagan 6, Mercado 5, Bulanadi 4, Johnson 4, David 3, Bactiong 2, Serajosef 2, Miguel 2, Quipse 2, Valdez 2.
Quarters: 14-24, 35-52, 60-64, 80-78
Second Game
FEU 62—Bienes 10, Holmqvist 8, Comboy 8, Orizu 7, Escoto 7, Tuffin 5, Delos Santos 3, Trinidad 3, Delfinado 3, Arong 2, Inigo 2, Lee Yu 2, Nunag 2, Ebona 0.
PERPETUAL HELP 57—Coronel 13, Daganon 12, Sadiwa 10, Eze 9, Akhuetie 6, Ylagan 3, Singontiko 2, Lucente 2, Pido 0, Yuhico 0, Hao 0.
Quarters: 15-9, 28-22, 49-35, 62-57