SAN JUAN City – Jose Rizal University squeaked past De La Salle University, 69-68, in continuing action from the 2014 FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup Saturday (May 10) at the San Juan Arena. The Heavy Bombers improved to 3-1 and overtook the now 1-1 Green Archers in the Group A standings,
JRU started strong by building an 18-point lead at halftime, 44-26, as Philip Paniamogan and Gio Lasquety notched twin digits in combining for 24 points. Returning to the floor after their halftime powwow, the Green Archers slowly made their move with Jeron Teng knocking in six markers as they finally reduced their deficit to single digits entering the final period, 48-57.
The combination of Julian Sargent, Arnold Van Opstal, Thomas Torres, Jason Perkins and Almond Vosotros sent DLSU into a 15-2 blitz to begin the final period and build a slim 63-59 lead with five minutes to go.
Fighting to the very end, Jordan de la Paz added a pair of baskets including a twisting drive that put JRU within a point entering the final two minutes, 65-66. DLSU then committed a 24-second violation so Michael Mabulac capitalized with a reverse baseline shot to grab back the lead, 67-66, and 1:27 on the clock.
The Green Archers failed to execute as Vosotros was forced to fire a shot with their shot clock winding down. Possession returned to JRU and Jaycee Asuncion converted the knockout blow at the 41-second mark, 69-66.
After acting Head Coach Allan Caidic sued for time, Perkins scored on a quick basket, 68-69, and 32 seconds remaining. The Green Archers then received a big break as possession was awarded to them after a leather lock near the JRU basket.
DLSU had six seconds to salvage the contest. Unfortunately, Perkins’ close-range stab was spit out by the hoop, preserving the hard-earned victory for the Heavy Bombers.
“We had everything to gain from this game and nothing to lose,” said winning coach Vergel Meneses. “Games like this against strong opponents build character, when La Salle came back I just reminded the players to stick to our system.”
Paniamogan led the Heavy Bombers with 16 points. Bernabe Teodoro scored 10 of his 12 points in the third canto to fend off DLSU’s repeated rallies.
Teng paced the Green Archers with 17 on top seven rebounds, five assists and two steals but was scoreless in the final period. Van Opstal and Vosotros backed him up with 13 markers each.
Earlier, San Beda College routed a hapless Lyceum of the Philippines University, 80-56. The Red Lions earned a share of the Group B leadership with idle Far Eastern University at 4-0, the best record thus far in the tournament.
While the Red Lions clearly dominated the Pirates on all fronts, the achievement was overshadowed by another display of racism and unsportsmanlike behavior. With only the final score left to be settled, SBC’s Nigerian exchange student Ola Adeogun had to be restrained as he went after LPU rookie Paul Pamulaklakin who he claimed gave him an elbow coupled with a racial slur.
SBC Coach Boyet Fernandez did not mince words in condemning the incident, saying that racism has no place in sports. “Ola came here to study. Once he graduates he will go back to Nigeria and help his family and he loves the Filipinos very much.”
Art de la Cruz led the Red Lions with 17 points and eight rebounds. Adeogun followed with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Guy Mbida, an exchange student from Cameroon, was the high man for the Pirates with 26 points. Starting center Joseph Gabayni was disqualified due to five fouls after playing for a total of only 15 minutes, mostly on defending Adeogun, but still ended up the second best scorer with eight.
In the day’s other Senior Division fixture, the San Sebastian College Stags stepped it up in the second half to put away the Holy Trinity College Wildcats, 91-84. Jaymark Perez topped the Stags of Coach Topex Robinson with 20 points on top of five rebounds and four assists.
The National Lady Bulldogs of Coach Patrick Aquino remained clean in Group B of the Women’s Division by plastering the still winless College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers, 79-43. Gemma Miranda came off the bench to scatter 22 points and grab nine rebounds for their team’s second straight victory.
Over at the Juniors Division, the De La Salle-Zobel Junior Archers managed to exact some revenge for their Seniors counterparts’ debacle by coming from behind and eventually tripping the JRU Light Bombers, 68-58. Aljun Melecio showed the way with 16 points, five rebounds and six assists as the wards of Coach Boris Aldeguer outscored the opposition in the fourth period, 30-8.
How They Scored:
Second Game
SAN BEDA (80) – de la Cruz 17, Adeogun 16, A. Semerad 11, Abarcar 8, Koga 5, Pascual 5, Mendoza 4, Amer 3, Solera 2, Bonsubre 2, Villaruz 2, Abatayo 1, Mocon 0.
LYCEUM (56) – Mbida 26, Gabayni 8, Ko 5, Zamora 4, Bulawan 3, Lacastesantos 3, Maconocido 1, Evangelista 1, Baltazar 0, Pamulaklakin 0, Lesmoras 0, Alanes 0.
Period Scores: 25-14, 38-25, 60-45, 80-56.
Fourth Game
JOSE RIZAL (69) – Paniamogan 16, Teodoro 12, Lasquety 10, Asuncion 8, de la Paz 8, Mabulac 6, Balagtas 5, Sanchez 2, Abdulwahab 1, Benavides 1, Salaveria 0.
DE LA SALLE (68) – Teng 17, Van Opstal 13, Vosotros 13, Perkins 8, N. Torres 6, T. Torres 4, Andrada 4, Sargent 3, Mustre 0, Salem 0, Tampus 0, Rivero 0.
Period Scores: 21-16, 44-26, 57-48, 69-68.
Fifth Game
DE LA SALLE-ZOBEL (68) – Aljun Melecio 15, Paraiso 14, Webb 13, Alec Melecio 8, Romero 6, Sajulga 6, Isaac 3, Fortuna 1, Rabat 1, Mariano 0, Liwag 0, Francisco 0.
JOSE RIZAL (58) – de la Virgen 16, Garcia 11, Dada 9, Estrella 7, Sta. Maria 7, Astero 5, Anonuevo 3, Estrada 0, Torre 0, Ross 0.
Period Scores: 12-14, 18-31, 38-50, 68-58.
Servinio's Sports Etc. 