Mapua University and University of Perpetual Help sustained their top spots, going 4-0 in the NCAA Season 99 Junior Basketball Tournament, after dominant wins over Jose Rizal University (72-57) and San Beda-Rizal (78-56), respectively.
Lawrence Mangubat once again led the Red Robins with a season-high 25 points as the lone scorer in double-digits for Mapua.
“Syempre, masaya kami pero hindi pa tapos, nagsisimula pa lang ang laban,” the 19-year old shared.
On the other hand, Jan Pagulayan put up 19 points off 50-percent shooting in over 31 minutes of action while Mark Gojo Cruz chipped in 15 markers and 12 boards for a double-double for the Junior Altas.
It was a tight match for the majority of the game, until UPHSD clamped down on defense to limit San Beda to just six points throughout the entire fourth period, setting a new league-low for points in a quarter.
Meanwhile, last season’s runner-up La Salle Green Hills escaped a comeback scare by Arellano University, 85-81, to get in the win column.
Guillian Quines came in clutch for the Greenies as he dropped 22 points along with six rebounds and four assists while Ram Sharma posted a double-double with 10 markers and 14 caroms.
“Quines is a scorer, that’s why I got him on board here in LSGH, and he stepped up big time this game,” said Greenies head coach Renren Ritualo.
Up by 12 points with only three minutes to go, Arellano managed to pull off an impressive 12-0 run to tie the game at 79. However, LSGH would not let this win slip from their hands.
Despite Quines going 0-for-5 from beyond the arc, the young Greenie found his chance with 24.4 seconds left in the game with a game-winning three-point play to seal LSGH’s first victory of Season 99.
Later in the afternoon, San Sebastian College trumped Emilio Aguinaldo College, 73-64, while defending champion Colegio de San Juan de Letran notched its third win after an 88-79 over Lyceum.
Down by 12 in the second, the Staglets managed to come back in stunning fashion, going on a 27-6 scoring spree to take the lead in the third, and eventually leading by as much as 17.
Jhun Penaverde led the way for San Sebastian with 21 points, nine of which came from the line, as Ruvic Danag copped 13 markers and four rebounds.
This spoiled EJ Castillo’s monster double-double outing where he notched 32 points and 13 rebounds for EAC. He took much of the load on scoring as no other Brigadier scored in double digits.
In a similar fashion, Letran had to deal with an early onslaught by LPU.
However, the Squires managed to break away in the second half thanks in part to George Diamante’s double-double performance of 21 points and a day-high 16 rebounds.
With this loss, the Junior Pirates remain the only team yet to win this season.
The Scores:
First Game
Mapua 72 – Mangubat 25, Salvador 9, Malaga 8, Mulingtapang 5, Gragasin 5, Masiglat 4, Palis 4, Mananquil 4, Rodriguez 2, Valina 2, Duque 2, Coronel 2, Bagro 0, Bernabe 0, Go 0
JRU 57 – Castillo 11, Satparam 10, Pineda 7, Marin 6, Taparan 5, Rivera 3, Guarino 3, To 3, Natividad 3, Abequibel 2, Almario 2, Capistrano 2, Ferrer 0, Pinzon 0, Rico 0
Quarterscores: 19-10; 37-29; 52-37; 72-57
Second Game
LSGH 85 – Quines 22, Muyuela 16, Sharma 10, Podador 10, Ison 7, Osis 6, Gomez 5, Natividad 5, Abad 2, Nonoy 2, Peralta 0, Tud 0, Hachuela 0
Arellano 81 – Reguera 23, Espinosa 18, Franco 11, Yu 9, Javier 9, Novillo 4, Montesclaros 4, Austria 3, Pangilinan 0, Tanudtanod 0, Llantos 0, Distrito 0, Vergara 0, Mendoza 0, Pascual 0
Quarterscores: 22-19; 39-37; 66-59; 85-81
Third Game
UPHSD 78 – Pagulayan 19, Gojo Cruz 15, Daep 10, Acido 9, Callangan 9, Ayon 6, Baldoria 4, Cristino 3, Valencia 2, Asuncion 1, Diaz 0, Panelo 0, Bernaldez 0
San Beda 56 – Vailoces 13, Lorenzo 10, Cañete 9, Sollano 6, Medroso 5, Batong Bakal 4, Dollente 3, Wagan 3, Mondigo 3, San Juan 1, Feliciano 0, Garcia 0
Quarterscores: 18-16; 40-37; 60-50; 78-56
Fourth Game
San Sebastian 73 – Penaverde 22, Danag 13, Melano 11, Porcadas 10, Bonus 9, Casan 5, Marasigan 3, Apostol 0, Lapu-os 0, Herrera 0, Jimenez 0, Jacob 0, Bamba 0, Roales 0, Rodriguez 0
EAC 64 – Castillo 32, Campana 9, Coronel 7, Asay 5, Razo 3, Mariquit 2, Bautista 2, Canonigo 2, Luna 2, Iraham 0, Butler 0, Lumbo 0, Jawali 0, Villarias 0, Tecson 0
Quarterscores: 13-15; 28-37; 55-47; 73-64
Fifth Game
Letran 88 – Diamante 21, Manalili 15, Baliling 15, Navarro 9, Villanueva 8, Gazzingan 7, De Leon 5, Golez 2, Hugo 2, Silorio 2, Alforque 2, Padilla 0, Reyes 0, Dela Rama 0
LPU 79 – Timbol 18, Sayaman 16, Panerio 9, Melchor 7, Julio 7, Matienzo 6, Lingoste 5, Lobos 4, Dag-um 3, Turno 2, Conde 2, Mulligan 0, Poli 0
Quarterscores: 23-30; 54-40; 64-61; 88-79
