Nambatac waxes hot for Knights

ROBERT Bolick (right) of San Beda tries to drive past the defense of Perpetual Help’s Gerald Dizon in yesterday’s game at Filoil Flying V Centre. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

ON A DAY when San Beda neutralized one of the league’s top scorers to stay unbeaten, another scoring machine came up with a virtuoso performance Tuesday in the 92nd NCAA basketball tournament.

Letran gunner Rey Nambatac torched San Sebastian with a career-best 40 points as the Knights hammered out a 90-77 victory for their fourth straight win at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

The Red Lions remained the only undefeated team after an 88-70 conquest of the Perpetual Help Altas, whose Nigerian center Bright Akhuetie was held to a season-low 13 points.

Nambatac went 13-of-20 from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Knights improved to 4-1 for a share of second spot with the Mapua Cardinals, who dropped a 75-96 decision to the Arellano Chiefs.

“We just stuck to the system which is playing defense,” said Nambatac, who became the first Letran player in four years to score at least 40 points after Kevin Alas exploded for 43 in Season 88. “We got our flow on offense through our defense.”

Nigerian center Donald Tankoua got the better of the 6-foot-8 Akhuetie, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lions, who raised their record to 5-0.

“I have to give credit to Donald,” said San Beda coach Jamike Jarin. “Let’s face it, Bright Akhuetie and Prince Eze, they’re really good. They’re tall, they’re very athletic and they’re experienced. He needed to outplay one of them to have a chance and he outplayed both.”

Akhuetie and Eze actually combined for only 15 points with both players riding the bench for almost the entire fourth period as Perpetual dropped to 2-2.

Kent Salado tallied 20 points, while Jalalon had seven points and nine assists for the Chiefs, who kept fourth spot with a 3-1 record. With a report from Delfin Dioquino
The scores:
First Game
LETRAN 90—Nambatac 40, Luib 12, Balanza 11, Calvo 10, Sollano 7, Quinto 4, Ambohot 3, Pambid 3, Apreku 0, Balagasay 0, Bernabe 0, Sario 0
SAN SEBASTIAN 77—Ilagan 23, Costelo 17, Capobres 11, Fabian 6, David 5, Valdez 5, Baetiong 2, Bulunadi 2, Calisaan 2, Johnson 2, Mercado 2, Gayosa 0, Quipse 0
Quarters: 23-28, 43-38, 63-57, 90-77
Second Game
ARELLANO 96—Salado 20, Nichols 16, Aguilar 10, Flores 10, Jalalon 8, Gumaru 7, Enriquez 6, Villoria 5, Cadavis 4, Canete 4, Holts 4, Alcoriza 2, Gupilan 0, Meca 0.
MAPUA 75—Estrella 20, Eriobu 12, Serrano 12, Isit 10, Oraeme 9, Bunag 6, Biteng 3, Orquina 3, Menina 0, Raflores 0, Victoria 0.
Quarters: 20-16, 33-29, 66-51, 96-75
Third Game
SAN BEDA 88—Tankoua 20, Soberano 15, Bolick 12, Potts 9, Singontiko 3, Yuhico 2, Eze 2, Cabiltes 2, Hao 0, Gallardo 0.
PERPETUAL HELP 70—Dagangon 14, Akhuetie 13, Dizon 13, Coronel 12, Pido 9, Singontiko 3, Cabiltes 2, Eze 2, Yuhico 2, Gallardo 0, Hao 0
Quarters: 25-22, 45-35, 65-49, 88-70