Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

AU

JP Nieles keeps Skills Challenge crown in Mapua


For the second straight year, a Mapua Cardinal was crowned as the Skills Challenge champion, as JP Nieles blitzed past Saint Benilde rookie Unique Naboa to open the festivities of the NCAA Season 93 All-Star Day, Friday afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

“Masaya na nakaka-tense na masarap sa feeling. Kahit down kami, na-prove ko na kaya pa rin namin mag-step up,” Nieles said as Mapua has struggled in the first round with a 1-8 slate.

And Nieles, who is coming off a year away due to ACL surgery, studied the performance of last season’s champion and former Cardinal Shane Menina coming into the event.

“Bago ako pumunta dito, chineck ko si Shane, 24.6 seconds yung kailangan ko, na-insipre ako sa ginawa niya,” Nieles, who clocked in the fastest time in the opening round with 20.7 seconds, said.

The heads-up finale was not a breeze in the park for Nieles, though. During the third line, the lay-up drill, his ball had gotten stuck between the net, resulting in a little downtime.

“Gusto ko kunin kaso pa-layup din siya eh,” he recalled.

But Nieles drilled the closing triple to seal the crown.

Nieles and Naboa qualified for the finale by outlasting Letran’s Jeremiah Taladua, who logged in 27.5 ticks during the prelims, and Lyceum’s Jaycee Marcelino, 25.8 seconds.

Other participants in the event include San Sebastian’s Michael Are, San Beda’s Radge Tongco, JRU’s Aaron Bordon, EAC’s Jervin Guzman, Perpetual’s Keith Pido, and Arellano’s Levi Dela Cruz.

#ReadMore  Topflight flyweights Horiguchi, Bagautinov to square off in Manila
Written By


You May Also Like

AU

University of Santo Tomas became the first team from the UAAP Group to clinch a playoff berth in the PlayTime Cares 18th Filoil EcoOil...

AU

Zed Etulle delivered in the clutch to help San Beda snap its losing streak in the PlayTime Cares 18th Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup presented...

AdU

Far Eastern University needed every bit of Mo Konateh’s dominance to hold off Adamson University, eking out a gritty 68-66 overtime win in the...

AU

Emilio Aguinaldo College extended its winning streak to four games and forged a tie with Letran for the top spot in the NCAA standings...

Basketball

Letran extended its winning streak to four games with an 84–73 victory over Jose Rizal University, seizing the top spot in the NCAA Bracket...

Basketball

Chicco Briones celebrated his 23rd birthday in style, exploding for 21 points to lead University of the Philippines past Far Eastern University, 75–65, and...

Basketball

Far Eastern University continued its strong start in the PlayTime Cares 18th Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup presented by ABC Tile Adhesive, handing University of...

Basketball

Mapúa University has secured three solid additions to bolster its title defense in NCAA Season 101 and beyond. Letran standouts Basti Reyes and Daniel...

Advertisement