Stags struggle past Generals
GAMES THURSDAY
(Filoil Flying V Arena)
12 nn—Letran vs Lyceum (Jrs)
Article continues after this advertisement2 p.m.—San Beda vs Mapua (Jrs)
4 p.m.—Letran vs Lyceum (Srs)
6 p.m.—San Beda vs Mapua (Srs)
Article continues after this advertisementSAN SEBASTIAN forward Calvin Abueva broke the ring at the Filoil Flying V Arena, then shattered the spirits of the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals yesterday.
Abueva, a top prospect in the coming 2012 PBA Draft, delivered the telling blows down the stretch to cap another superb performance as the Stags nipped the Generals, 94-93, last night to seize the solo lead in the 88th NCAA basketball tournament in San Juan.
In a bizarre incident, Abueva’s dunk during the warm-up caused damage to the ring inside the venue, delaying the game for almost two hours, which also pushed back the tipoff for the Jose Rizal U-St. Benilde game to 8 p.m.
“I just sampled a dunk and the rim just broke. I didn’t mean it to happen,” said Abueva in a television interview.
When tipoff came, he did most of the damage against the Generals, ending up with a season-high 29 points, grabbing 17 rebounds and dishing seven assists to help the Stags survive the absence of big man Ian Sangalang.
The 6-foot-6 Sangalang, San Sebastian’s leading scorer with close to 22 points per game, was sidelined by a strained knee he sustained in a freak accident during the Stags’ practice last Sunday.
It hardly mattered early on as the Stags turned to the sweet-shooting Ronald Pascual, who buried four treys in the first half to help San Sebastian establish control.
The Stags were cruising in the final period with an 84-68 lead with 7:40 remaining on Michael Juico’s fastbreak layup. Two free throws by Noube Happi trimmed the gap, but Abueva also made two foul shots to give the Stags’ a five-point cushion with 1:23 remaining.
Abueva atoned for a couple of misses by making two free throws with 14.8 seconds remaining, after Jan Jamon cut the lead, 91-88.
Happi nailed an inconsequential triple, beating the buzzer for the final count. He finished with a career-high 29 points.
In juniors’ play, the San Sebastian Staglets posted their seventh consecutive victory with a 95-52 rout of the EAC Brigadiers.
