Diliman College clamped down on WCC Aeronautical and Technological College, securing a dominant 73-52 victory in the UCAL-PGFlex Linoleum 7th Season, Thursday at Paco Arena in Manila.
The Blue Dragons showcased a defensive masterclass, holding the Skyhawks to just five points in the third quarter, which proved to be the turning point.
That lockdown effort allowed Diliman to break the game wide open and cruise to its fourth win in six outings.
Leading the charge for Diliman was Solomon Kone, who delivered a stellar double-double performance with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks.
John Bernard Parista also stepped up with 14 points, two rebounds, and two steals.
In another matchup, Centro Escolar University continued its resurgence after a sluggish start to the season, earning its third straight win with a resounding 92-61 victory over Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas.
Israel Friday spearheaded CEU’s offense with 18 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, while Kem Sabsalon contributed across the board with 16 points, four rebounds, four steals, and three assists. The Scorpions have now fully recovered from an 0-3 start.
Diliman, which led by as many as 24 points thanks to strong performances in the middle quarters, also bounced back from a tough loss to Olivarez College in its previous game.
Kent Laquibla chipped in 10 points, while Carmel Espinosa narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
With the win, the Blue Dragons moved just half a game behind league leaders University of Batangas, Manila Central University, and Olivarez.
Meanwhile, Lyceum-Batangas fell to a 2-4 record after a lopsided defeat that saw them trail by as many as 31 points.
WCC, on the other hand, slid to 1-5 in the standings.
