MIT coasts through visiting SWU to grab first win in tournament

Coming from a pocket tournament in Cebu, the Mapua Institute of Techonology (MIT) Cardinals showed better communication on offense compared to the games before they left, in coasting through the debuting, and defending CESAFI champions, Southwestern University, 81-73, early Friday afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.

Bien dela Rosa started hot for the Cardinals, knocking down two three pointers in the opening minutes of the game that gave MIT an early 8-4 lead over SWU. Fil-Am Jasper Parker and reigning CESAFI MVP Mac Tallo kept the game close for the Cobras by being aggressive on drives and either connecting on layups or getting the foul. However, the Cobras were unable able to get the lead as Carlos Isit exploded for seven points in the quarter. At the end of the quarter, the Cardinals held a solitary lead over the Cobras 20-19.

Mapua opened the second stanza of the game with a 10-4 spurt with eight of those points coming from Josan Nimes. Nimes went hard on any defender the SWU staff put on him. Moreover, the zone defense of the Cardinals forced the Cobras to long jumpers that they were not able to convert on. MIT managed to limit the Cebu-based squad to just 10 points in the quarter with Jasper Parker scoring half of those points.

The SWU Cobras were hampered by foul trouble in the third quarter. Fortunately for the Cobras, team captain Tallo, super sub Jovanie Luz, and John Auditor were able to keep up with the scoring of dela Rosa and Nimes to still keep the game in reach.

The visitors from Cebu, however, could not cut the MIT lead in the fourth quarter as Stephen Que and Allwell Oraeme quelled any rally the Tallo-led squad tried to push. Mac Tallo attempted to takeover the game late in the quarter with acrobatic layups and excellent dishes to big man Boko Mupungo that cut the MIT lead to just eight points with 1:16 remaining. In the resulting play, Josan Nimes, who was being defended by Tallo, crossed him up that freed him for a free lay-up and closed the game.

After the game, MIT head coach Atoy Co was not exactly happy with the win as the team still committed lapses on defense. “Basketball is a five-on-five game. If we defend one-on-one and have lapses, patay kami mas lalo na sa NCAA,” the Mapua mentor said. In addition, with the games winding down for the tournament for MIT, Co wanted his wards to communicate more on offense as the coach does not want to go into the NCAA with his players having a one-on-one mentality.

Josan Nimes led his team with 18 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Carlos Isit and Bien dela Rosa also chipped in 16 markers each. For SWU, Mark Tallo led all scorers with 21 points on 50% shooting. Jasper Parker had 16 points as well. However, as a team, SWU just shot 36% from the field and committed 16 turnovers compared to just the 12 committed by MIT.

The MIT Cardinals next face the DLSU Green Archers on Wednesday, May 27 at 5:00pm while the SWU Cobras play the same team tomorrow, May 23 at 5:00pm as well.

The Scores:

MIT 81 – Nimes 18, Isit 16, Dela Rosa 16, Oraeme 9, Que 5, Raflores 4, Villasenor 4, Briana 3, Layug 2, Nieles 2, Biteng 2, Serrano 0

SWU 73 – Tallo 21, Parker 16, Auditor 10, Goloran 7, Holper 7, Luz 5, Bregondo 4, Mupungo 2, Racho 1, Acuno 0