College of Saint Benilde completed a domination of Group A play in the Sportsclick AsiaBasket International Championship after shutting down Harimau Malaysia and taking an 80-66 win on Friday night at the MABA Stadium here.
The Blazers took the top seed in Group A with the victory.
Figuring in a slow start, CSB turned the tides in the third quarter, going 22-10 in the said quarter to take a 68-61 lead entering the fourth.
The team then held Harimau Malaysia to just five points in the final frame, a three-pointer from Kuek Tian Yuan with 7:42 left and a layup from Ting Chun Hong with 1:34 to go, to complete the blowout despite failing to score in the final 3:42 of the game.
Miggy Corteza led CSB, which will face the second seed in Group B come the semifinals on Sunday night, with 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal.
Migs Oczon and Paul Turco each added 12 points while combining for 11 of CSB’s 20 steals in the game.
Ting led Harimau Malaysia, which dropped to 2-1, with 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block, although he too had seven turnovers.
The result gave Sanzar Pharmaceuticals a shot at stealing the second seed away from Harimau Malaysia.
Both teams are to play on Saturday night with Sanzar needing to win soundly to clinch the other semifinal spot for Group A.
Meanwhile, San Beda-Machateam assured itself of a semifinal spot in Group B with a 110-80 rout of The Th3rd Floor-KalosPH-Cooly.
Jomel Puno made 19 points, five rebounds, one assist, and two steals to lead San Beda-Machateam, which will also enter the semis as Group B’s top seed due to the quotient rule even if the Kuala Lumpur Aseel beat The Th3rd Floor also on Saturday night that could force a three-way tie with MBC Kirin at 3-1.
Clifford Jopia and Emmanuel Tagle each chipped in 15 markers with Jopia also grabbing 12 rebounds for the double-double.
Gerald Anderson fired 26 points on six triples, five rebounds, seven assists, and two steals, while Genmar Bragais added 24 points, four rebounds, three assists, and six steals for The Th3rd Floor, which fell to 0-3.
In other games, Kuala Lumpur kept its playoff hopes alive after a 91-63 whipping of the BGC Builders while Shawarma Shack ended its campaign on a high note with a 71-69 escape of the MFT Fruitmasters.
The Scores:
First Game
San Beda-Machateam 110 – Puno 19, Jopia 15, Tagle 15, Alfaro 14, Payosing 14, Visser 6, Tagala 5, Andrada 4, Royo 4, Cuntapay 2, Jalbuena 0
The Th3rd Floor-KalosPH-Cooly 80 – Anderson 26, Bragais 24, Lepalam 10, Mendoza 4, Vanguardia 4, Navalon 4, Portales 3, Zamora 3, Flores 2, Talan 0, Sera Josef 0
Quarterscores: 28-19, 58-37, 76-63, 110-80
Second Game
Shawarma Shack Pilipinas 71 – Nzeusseu 18, Monteclaro 15, Aviso 13, Deles 8, Esguerra 8, Pasculado 4, Cave 3, Rojo 2, Rifarial 0, Tomilloso 0, Chiang 0, Guevara 0
MFT 69 – Monte 32, San 10, Mag-isa 6, Montserrat 6, Villablanca 6, Papa 5, Cabeguin 2, Castellano 2, Semacio 0, Cervantes 0
Quarterscores: 19-24, 43-46, 52-54, 71-69
Third Game
Kuala Lumpur 91 – Sangalang 23, Wee 23, Gan 13, W. Tan 11, G. Tan 9, Soong 5, Yap 3, Lee 2, Kwan 2, Robinson 0
BGC Builder 63 – Gozum 16, Sessay 13, Buñag 10, Moraga 7, Cawaling 6, Cabahug 6, Gonzales 5, Rodriguez 0, Ceñal 0, Huntley 0
Quarterscores: 17-26, 47-40, 64-47, 91-63
Fourth Game
CSB 80 – Corteza 13, Oczon 12, Turco 12, Carlos 8, Marcos 7, Cajucom 7, Sangco 7, Nayve 5, Jarque 4, Marasigan 3, Sumabat 2, Serrano 0
Harimau Malaysia 106 – Ting 25, Y. Wong 14, Kuek 10, Mahadevan 6, Liew 4, Lee 4, Dee 2, Heng 1, Ong 0, J. Wong 0, Ooi 0
Quarterscores: 19-29, 46-51, 68-61, 80-66
