BACOLOD CITY—San Mig Coffee-West Negros U and Purefoods TJ-St. John’s gave their visiting rivals a rude welcome yesterday at the start of the SeaOil National Basketball Training Center Elite League finals at the WNU gym here.
The Baby Mustangs, peerless on their home floor, trounced Magnolia Ice Cream-La Union, 90-78, even as St. John’s, relying on its sleek run-and-gun game, hammered out a lopsided 82-54 win over Magnolia Fresh Chicken-Bulacan.
Kib Montalbo, who made his presence felt in a popular national basketball camp last year, spearheaded a balanced assault with 12 points and Arjay Jamero contributed 10 for St. John’s, which faces B-Meg Derby Ace Ormoc today.
Muggy Puentevella, a reinforcement from Christian Academy of Bacolod, who is also the grandson of Philippine Olympic Committee chair Monico Puentevella, struck the hardest for the Baby Mustangs with 16 points.
St. John’s clamped down on Bulacan’s shooters, holding them to just 33 points in the first three quarters to coast to the one-sided victory.
B-Meg Premium Lucena banked on a fiery start to hold off Star Margarine Olongapo, 80-73, to share the group A lead with Magnolia Frozen Delights Iloilo, an 84-72 winner over Magnolia NSA General Santos.
Alex Barrera, a 6-foot-3 center, showed his immense potential by firing 20 points.
Paul Razel Rabin waxed hot from behind the arc, sinking six triples in the third period on his way to a game-high 28 points while Joeric Sumido wound up with 14 for Iloilo, which was powered by standouts from Sun Yat Sen High School.
The opening day of the tournament backed by Seaoil Philippines, Burlington, Freego Jeans and Molten under the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas was graced by SBP executive director Sonny Barrios and NBTC executive director Eric Altamirano and Seaoil executive Rey Jimenez