Top seed La Consolacion College-Manila Blue Royals lived up to their billing and took Game One of the 10th Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association Seniors Basketball championship series over defending champions PATTS College of Aeronautics Sea Horses, 63-59, at the LCCM Gym Friday.
The Blue Royals scored the last nine points of the game while holding the Seahorses scoreless for over five minutes.
TJ Carino hit back to back baskets followed by the go-ahead triple from Jessie Bardaje with 18 seconds left, 61-59. Arwil Talag then forced a turnover and was quickly fouled by Mark Jayson Morada with Talag calmly sinking his two free throws for the final tally.
It was a tough loss for the Seahorses who went on a 10-0 tear to begin the fourth period behind Morada and Leonard Mengoy for their biggest lead of the game, 57-50.
Gabriel Latoreno ended the Blue Royals’ silence with two free throws followed by a Thurlough Grealy basket that was immediately answered by Morada but that proved to be the last offense from PATTS.
Bardaje and Paul Harley Dagunan shared scoring honors for the Blue Royals with 14 points each. Carino supported them with 11.
Norman Torreno led all scorers with 15 but went scoreless in the fourth period. Hitting double figures for PATTS were Morada with 11 and Mengoy and JR Bautista with 10.
Game Two of the Seniors Division Finals will be hosted by PATTS on November 14.
The Scores:
LCCM (63) – Dagunan 14, Bardaje 14, Carino 11, Grealy 8, Talag 7, Latoreno 7, Tamayo 2, Batac 0, Navarette 0, Lopez 0, Martin 0.
PATTS (59) – Torreno 15, Morada 11, Mengoy 10, Bautista 10, Reed 6, Po 5, JG Reyes 2, Palencia 0, Saliddin 0, Lopez 0.
Quartercores: 14-13, 29-28, 50-47, 63-59.
