Figuring in another close affair, Yankie Haruna and the College of Saint Benilde Blazers were able to show poise late, escaping the Arellano University Chiefs, 74-69, to continue their perfect run in the 2018 Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup, presented by Chooks-to-Go.
“I saw the heart of the team to win. They fought until the very end,” beamed second-year Blazers head coach TY Tang as Benilde is now 4-0 in Group B.
“We did not play to our identity today though. We played to their tempo,” rued the youthful strategist.
With Arellano up 67-69 with 46 ticks left, Unique Naboa was able to get a stop and score the breakaway layup to knot things up. Another stop by Benilde gave Justin Gutang a chance to take the lead, but he missed both of his freebies. The 6-foot-3 swingman was able to grab the rebound and clean the mess he made.
Free throws by Yankie Haruna capped a stunning 11-0 run by Benilde to close out the game.
Haruna willed the Blazers with 20 points and 14 rebounds. On the other hand, Gutang continued his spectacular campaign with 19 points, six rebounds, and seven assists.
The Chiefs, who fell to an even 2-2, were led by Levi Dela Cruz’s 14 points, though he shot just 6-of-19 from the field. Harry Dumagan and Guilmer dela Torre chipped in 11 and 10 points respectively.
In the main game, the Adamson University Soaring Falcons lambasted the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 87-64.
It was a balanced attack by the Soaring Falcons, who are now 2-0 in Group B, as every student-athlete fielded in by Franz Pumaren was able to score in the contest.
“Basically, it all started in the third quarter. The intensity was there but we still have the tendency to start of flat,” said the incoming third-year Soaring Falcons mentor, as Adamson used a 26-7 run in the third frame to break the game wide-open.
The Soaring Falcons led by as much as 31 points in the contest.
UST shot just 27 percent from the field in the game and were led by Marvin Lee’s 15 markers.
“I think UST is still adjusting to their new coach,” remarked Pumaren as UST fell to 1-3.
Behind their strong five, the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags were able to eke out a 96-88 win over the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers.
RK Ilagan and Allyn Bulanadi had 17 points each for the Golden Stags, with the former grabbing six boards and dishing out six dimes as well. Alvin Capobres and Ryan Costelo had 14 markers each, while Michael Calisaan finished with 11 points and five rebounds.
San Sebastian now hold a 3-1 record while dropping JRU to a cellar-dwelling 0-5 slate in Group B.
Jed Mendoza paced the Heavy Bombers with 19 points.
In the third game of the day, the National University Bulldogs were able to build on their win over the Gilas Cadets last Tuesday, taking their third straight game coming at the expense of the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas, 69-61.
It was a wire-to-wire victory by the Bulldogs, who now own an even 3-3 record in Group A.
Jamike Jarin had the luxury to field in all of his players in the contest. And it was Matthew Aquino who took advantage, finishing with 11 points, six rebounds, and three blocks in just 13 minutes of game time.
Perpetual’s sole bright spot in the contest was Edgar Charcos, who had 13 points in the game.
The Altas remain winless in four tries.
In the day’s Hanes One-on-One Kings of the Harcourt Competitions, Jason Credo of Ateneo was able to heat up late, to take a 15-12 win over San Sebastian’s Kevin Baytan in the most thrilling contest of the competition so far.
On the other hand, Arellano’s Maui Sera Josef escaped Mike Facino of FEU in a 9-8 victory.
The Scores:
First Game:
CSB 74 – Haruna 20, Gutang 19, Young 8, Dixon 7, Pasturan 5, Naboa 5, Leutcheu 4, Belgica 2, Domingo 2, Pagulayan 2, Velasco 0, Carlos 0.
AU 69 – Dela Cruz 14, Dumagan 11, Dela Torre 10, Alcoriza 9, Abanes 8, Cañete 7, Concepcion 3, Meca 2, Alban 2, Santos 2, Chavez 1, Sera Josef 0, Labarda 0, Filart 0, Ongolo Ongolo 0.
Quarterscores: 27-21; 42-40; 52-52; 74-69
Second Game:
SSC-R 96 – Bulanadi 17, Ilagan 17, Capobres 14, Costelo 14, Calisaan 11, Calma 6, Desoyo 6, Sumoda 5, Vinte 2, Cossari 2, Baytan 2, Valdez 0, Dela Cruz 0, Isidro 0
JRU 88 – Mendoza 19, Yu 13, Dela Virgen 12, Steinl 11, Estrella 10, Dela Rosa 8, Ramos 5, Silvarez 4, Padua 4, Esquerra 2, Bordon 0
Quarterscores: 20-16, 40-39, 72-65, 96-88
Third Game:
NU 69 – Galinato 12, Aquino 11, Clemente 7, Ildefonso S 7, Gaye 6, Mosqueda 6, Gallego 5, Ildefonso D 4, Joson 2, Sinclair 2, Tibayan 2, Salim 2, Mangayaom 2, Rangel 1, Yu 0, Diputado 0, Oczon 0
UPHSD 61 – Charcos 17, Eze 8, Razon 7, Coronel 6, Pasia 6, Peralta Tonton 4, Mangalino 4, Aurin 3, Sese 2, Tiburcio 2, Cuevas 2, Soriano 0, Tamayo 0, Precilas 0, Pido 0, Peralta Keith 0
Quarterscores: 29-13, 44-26, 56-45, 69-61
Fourth Game:
ADU 87 – Lastimosa 13, Manganti 10, Ahanmisi 9, Magbuhos Vince 8, Sarr 8, Espeleta 8, Macion 8, Orquez 6, Camacho 4, Maata 4, Colonia 2, Mojica 2, Magbuhos Wilfred 2, Bernardo 2, Zaldivar 1
UST 64 – Lee 15, Subido 8, Consejo 8, Huang 7, Cansino 7, Zamora 5, Marcos 4, Agustin 4, Caunan 3, Sta Ana 3, Asuncion 0
Quarterscores: 25-20, 50-40, 76-47, 87-64
