ISAA10: Royals Celebration!

La Consolacion is back on top after a five-year ISAA dry spell.

     MANILA – After five years, La Consolacion College-Manila is back as champions after capturing the 10^th Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association (ISAA) Seniors Basketball trophy via a hard-fought 75-69 decision over defending champion PATTS College of Aeronautics in Game Three of their best of three series Monday at the LCCM Gym.  The Blue Royals did not disappoint as they churned out a balanced offense and pesky defense to end the Seahorses’ three-year reign and recapture the title they first won in 2013.

For a moment, the Blue Royals built their biggest lead early in third, 44-33, and were on cruise control.  That all changed when Mark Jayson Morada and Aldrich Lopez starred in the Seahorses blistering fight back that saw Lopez tie the game at 59-59 at the 5:36 mark of the fourth period.

La Consolacion responded with a 11-0 run highlighted by triples from Paul Harley Dagunan and Thurlough Grealy for valuable breathing space with three minutes to play.  Still, PATTS refused to fold and Norman Torreno took over by scoring the game’s next 10 points to put then within striking distance with 1:15 to play, 69-70.

Both sides then swapped botched plays as the Seahorses could not convert even on point-blank stabs.  Grealy was sent to the free throw on the fifth and last foul of Lopez and split his two shots to give PATTS some hope with 16 ticks to go and Jesse Bardaje managed to intercept the inbound pass coming off a PATTS timeout for a soaring layup, 73-69.

Taking advantage of the confusion, the Blue Royals forced another turnover with Nino Tamayo scooting down for another layup and the final score.  “What you saw in the last minute was the result of all the hard work we put in since last April,” said champion coach Segundo “Bong” de la Cruz.  “The character of the team came out and it was all about our defense, it’s doubly challenging when you have to build a team from scratch with all our newcomers this season.”

Six of the nine players fielded by Coach de la Cruz scored eight or more points with Dagunan leading the assault with 14 and the Most Valuable Player of the Finals award.  Tamayo and Bardaje were next with 13 each.

PATTS’ offense was concentrated on Torreno who led all scorers with 27 points and Morada with 22.  Lopez was next with only seven points as he lapsed into early foul trouble.

10th ISAA Mythical Five: Carino, Aguas, Mengoy, Lopez and MVP Grealy.

Grealy was chosen as the season MVP and was joined in the Mythical Five by teammate TJ Carino, Leonard Mengoy and Lopez of PATTS and Gabrielle Aguas of Trinity University of Asia.  With his fifth and final season done, the 6’2” 23-year old Grealy is setting his sights on the PBA D-League and hopefully follow the path of fellow Puerto Galera native Rico Maierhofer into the PBA.

How They Scored:

LA CONSOLACION (75) – Dagunan 14, Tamayo 13, Bardaje 13, Grealy 12, Carino 8, Latoreno 8, Navarette 4, Talag 3, Lopez 0.

P A T T S (69) – Torreno 27, Morada 22, Lopez 7, Bautista 6, Po 4, Mengoy 2, Reed 1, Palencia 0, Saliddin 0, JG Reyes 0.

Period Scores: 16-13, 36-30, 53-49, 75-69.

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WNCAA: Eight and Counting For CEU

CEU’s WNCAA dynasty now stands at eight seasons with no sign of stopping.

MANILA – Centro Escolar University completed another dominating season to annex the 49^th Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) Seniors Basketball crown by crushing Philippine Women’s University, 78-39, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum Saturday.  This marks the eighth straight title for the Lady Scorpions and first for new coach Michael Buendia.

Known for their high-scoring game, CEU turned up the defense in the fourth period and limited the Lady Patriots to only six points while scoring 27 of their own to put the result beyond recall.  The Lady Scorpions thus won all their nine games by an average of 59.9 points with Game One of the Finals last November 11 at Saint Jude Catholic School the tightest, 75-68.

Nigerian exchange student Mercy Lawan towered over everyone else to finish with a game-high 17 points and get the nod as Most Valuable Player of the Finals.  Stefhanie Ventura followed with 14 while Mythical Five members Rosemarie Gayo and Jenina Solis chipped in nine markers each.

Charlene Camba led PWU with 12 points.  Rose Mary Labrador supported her with eight points.

CEU simply bulldozed through the opposition in the single elimination round with routs over PWU (64-42), Saint Scholastica’s College (110-4), University of Makati (87-32), San Beda College-Alabang (93-41), Assumption College (100-16) and University of Asia and the Pacific (105-9).  They then eliminated the UMak Lady Herons in the crossover semifinals, 104-26, last November 10 to set up the duel with the Lady Patriots.

PWU proved to be a tough customer in the series opener and even led after three periods, 53-50.  However, the Lady Scorpions staged a major rally in the fourth with Lawan leading all scorers with 16 points followed by Ysai Llosola with 12.

How They Scored:

Game Two (November 17)

CENTRO ESCOLAR (78) – Lawan 17, Ventura 14, Gayo 9, Solis 9, Doloque 7, Llosala 5, Banih 5, Pacada 4, Alcantara 3, Samarago 2, Galgo 2, Raquial 1, Bayking 0, Bariquit 0.

PHILIPPINE WOMEN’S (39) – Camba 12, Labrador 8, Petilla 7, Medora 7, Sison 5, Montilla 0, Samaco 0, Tupaz 0, Aure 0.

Period Scores: 14-6, 39-21, 51-33, 78-39.

Game One (November 11)

CENTRO ESCOLAR (75) – Lawan 16, Llosala 12, Ventura 11, Gayo 9, Solis 9, Banih 7, Bayking 6, Galgo 3, Doloque 2, Samarago 0, Bariquit 0.

PHILIPPINE WOMEN’S (68) – Montilla 13, Camba 13, Labrador 13, Medora 12, Petilla 7, Aure 6, Samaco 4. Sison 0.

Period Scores: 12-15, 31-40, 50-53, 75-68.

ISAA10: La Consolacion, Juniors Champions!

La Consolacion College celebrates its first ISAA Juniors crown!

     PASAY CITY – La Consolacion College-Manila is the new Juniors Division champion of the 10^th Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association (ISAA) after they dethroned Manila Tytana Colleges, 70-68, on the road at the MTC campus Friday afternoon and sweeping the best of three series.  The Junior Blue Royals took Game One of the series, 78-60, last Tuesday at the LCCM Gym.

Cheered on by their home fans, the Junior Titans hoped to extend the series and went on a furious run to snatch the lead entering the fourth period, 54-53, after trailing by nine at the half, 25-34.  However, the excitement was cut short as the Junior Blue Royals opened the final period with a 9-0 blitz powered by Jhon Mark Cerezo and Justine Latonio and capped by an Ymard Urbano triple while holding the opposition scoreless for almost five minutes, 62-54.

Just as MTC was poised to make one final run, guard Ryan Untalan went to work and scattered seven of his game-high 20 points to maintain the lead with his last field goal giving his side the 69-64 edge with 20 seconds to play.  Time was not on the Junior Titans’ side as the Junior Blue Royals held on to the victory.

Center Urbano shared scoring honors with Untalan with 20 points followed by Chad Amante with 10.  The wards of Coach Kenyon Chee thus finished the season undefeated in all nine games in the process ending the two-year reign of the Junior Titans in the competition exclusive for Senior High School pupils.

The best of the 10th ISAA Juniors: Ordiales, Untalan, Rosas, Princillo and Urbano.

Untalan was later named as the season’s Most Valuable Player and was joined in the Mythical Five by Urbano, Adrian Rosas and Ian Princillo of MTC and Renzo Ordiales of Treston International College.  Urbano also got the nod as MVP of the Finals.

Earllier in the day, Treston prevailed over Saint Dominic College of Asia in the one-game playoff for Third Place, 59-50.  Ordiales lifted the Golden Cubs with 25 points.

How They Scored:

Championship

LA CONSOLACION (70) – Untalan 20, Urbano 20, Amante 10, Cerezo 9, Romero 5, Camata 2, Latonio 3, Santos 1, Villacrucis 0, Capulong 0, Talaban 0.

MANILA TYTANA (68) – Princillo 13, Puyo 13, Calinawan 12, Omaga 8, Formentera 4, Rosas 4, Suarez 4, Ocampo 4, Ferrer 2, Arellano 2, Riparip 2, Ighapas 0, Lopez 0, Jimenez 0.

Period Scores: 19-19, 34-25, 53-54, 70-68.

For Third Place

TRESTON (59) – Ordiales 25, Jose 11, Yanos 9, Ulep 5, Tanay 4, Maglalang 4, Palado 1, Cagandahan 0.

SAINT DOMINIC (50) – Demandante 17, Rebano 9, Elazegui 9, Ofiaza 8, de la Cruz 7, Lozada 0, Balabat 0, Temporal 0, Imperial 0, Bonavente 0, Espiritu 0, Lopez 0.

Period Scores: 10-12, 22-24, 36-33, 59-50.

UCBL3: November 15 Recap

     PARANAQUE CITY – Centro Escolar University and Diliman College remained at the top of the Third Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL) after contrasting wins Thursday at Olivarez College.  Both schools share the league leadership at 10-1 and now brace for a showdown for the top seeding in their next game.

CEU blew hot and cold in brushing off Olivarez College, 89-82, in the process avenging their opening day loss to the Sea Lions and rolling to their 10^th win in a row.  Later on, Diliman routed also-ran Lyceum of the Philippines-Batangas, 82-61.

The Scorpions had a slow start allowing the Sea Lions to surge ahead, 15-2, but regrouped to tie after one period, 18-18.  CEU was coasting along in the third, 61-38, until Olivarez rallied again to cut the gap to only three with 37 ticks to go on a Yanie Elie basket, 80-85.

Tyron Chan then poured cold water on the rally with a triple at the 15-second mark, 88-80.  A failed Olivarez offensive led to a free throw split from Keanu Caballero with a second left for the final tally.

Chan led all scorers with 25 points and nine rebounds off the bench.  Judel Ric Fuentes followed with 19 points also off the bench as the CEU reserves outscored Olivarez, 56-25.

In the second game, the Blue Dragons received minimal resistance from the Pirates who absorbed their eighth loss in 11 games.  The best that LPU could do was lead, 5-0, as Diliman broke away for good after the game’s final deadlock at 9-9.

McArthur Enriquez topped the victorious Blue Dragons with 14 points.  Kevin Gandjeto added 12 points and 10 rebounds while Robbie Darang chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

How They Scored:

First Game

CENTRO ESCOLAR (89) – Chan 25, Fuentes 19, Diouf 10, Rojas 9, Uri 6, Ke Caballero 6, Formento 6, Wamar 4, Guinitaran 4.

OLIVAREZ (82) – Castro 14, Saguiguit 13, Begaso 12, Almajeda 12, Geronimo 11, Lalata 8, Elie 6, de Leon 4, Sala 2, Siegue 0, Santos 0.

Period Scores: 18-18, 36-32, 70-47, 89-82

Second Game

DILIMAN (82) – Enriquez 14, Darang 12, Gandjeto 12, Bauzon 11, Coquia 8, E Salazar 6, Brutas 5, Lisika 5, Mahari 5, Ligon 2, J Salazar 2, Digno 0, Sombero 0, Tay 0.

LYCEUM-BATANGAS (61) – Lapasaran 16, Saliente 13, Mulanda 7, Tagle 7, Castro 5, Clarion 3, Sebastian 3, Axalan 2, Mesina 2, Alamo 2, Macias 1, Padilla 0, Daligdig 0, Villanueva 0.

Period Scores: 23-13, 40-23, 63-42, 82-61.

NCAA94: Mapua Champions Again

Mapua Red Robins for their second championship in three seasons!

     PASAY CITY – Mapua University is back on top of the Juniors Division after they annexed the 94^th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship over defending champion La Salle Green Hills, 77-74, Thursday afternoon at the Mall of Asia Arena.  The Red Robins ended the best of three series, 2-1, for the 22^nd title in school history.

Paolo Hernandez poured in 13 of his game-high 33 points to push Mapua to a 15-point lead entering the fourth period, 71-56.  Suddenly, the Greenies woke up and rattled off the first 14 points of the fourth period to threaten, 70-71.

Dan Arches broke the Red Robins’ five-minute silence with a three-point play off Kobe Palencia, 74-70, but LSGH would again counter to tie the game on an Inand Fornillos tip in with 1:40 to play, 74-74.

Arches was quickly fouled but could only convert one free throw to give the Greenies some hope but he quickly made it up by stealing the ball for an unmolested layup with 1:06 on the clock.  LSGH had one last chance but the referees ruled that Joshua David’s triple at the buzzer was not on time, triggering a wild celebration from the pro-Mapua gallery.

“I had great belief in my players and I saw in their faces that they really wanted to win and not give up,” said Coach Randy Alcantara.  “I think we built a sufficient lead in the third period and our work on defense saved us.”

Hernandez was eventually chosen as Finals Most Valuable Player by adding 12 rebounds and three blocks to his 33-point output.  He was ably supported by Arches with 22 points and five rebounds.

Paolo Hernandez, Coach Randy Alcantara and Dan Arches in the post-game press conference.

Fornillos paced the Greenies with 18 points and 11 rebounds.  David was next with 13 while season MVP Joel Cagulangan bucked in injury in the opening period to chip in 10 points and four assists.

How They Scored:

MAPUA (77) – Hernandez 33, Arches 22, Smith 5, Sarias 5, Policarpio 4, Policarpio 4, Mariano 2, Dennison 2, Lazarte 0, Diaz 0.

LA SALLE GREEN HILLS (74) – Fornillos 18, David 13, Cagulangan 10, Palencia 8, Natividad 7, Calimag 6, Sangco 4, Mosqueda 3, Lao 3, Valenzuela 2, Lepalam 0.

Period Scores: 18-15, 42-34, 71-56, 77-74.

ISAA10: PATTS d. La Consolacion, 62-42

     PARANAQUE CITY – Defending champion PATTS College of Aeronautics forced a deciding Game Three by overwhelming visiting La Consolacion College-Manila, 62-42, in Game Two of the 10^th Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association (ISAA) Finals Wednesday.  Guard Norman Torreno keyed the Seahorses’ bounce back with a fourth period explosion that broke the once tight contest wide apart.

Atoning for his disappearance in Game One last Friday, Torreno exploded for his team’s first 13 points and they suddenly found themselves comfortably ahead, 58-39.  The Blue Royals could only cough up five points in the final period with John Reed providing the exclamation mark with a two-handed dunk at the buzzer.

Mark Jayson Morada survived early foul trouble to pump in 15 points and then stepped aside in the fourth for Torreno’s heroics.  JR Bautista also had 15 as he and Morada held the fort through the first three periods.

Paul Harley Daganan paced the Blue Royals with 12 points followed by TJ Carino with 11.  Team leader Thurlough Grealy was limited to a quiet nine points while Game One hero Jesse Bardaje only had five markers to show.

The winner take all Game Three is scheduled for Monday (November 19) at the LCCM Gym.  The season’s Most Valuable Player and other awardees will also be recognized on that day.

Philippine Women’s University took Third Place in the 10th ISAA.

Earlier, Philippine Women’s University missed four straight free throws in the waning seconds but they did enough to nip Trinity University of Asia in the one-game playoff for Third Place, 61-60.  Ivan Andaya led the way for the Patriots with 21 points.

Meanwhile, La Consolacion took Game One of the Juniors Division Finals by routing defending champion Manila Tytana Colleges last Monday at LCCM, 78-60.  MTC will host Game Two of the series this Friday.

How They Scored:

Championship

P A T T S (62) – Torreno 19, Morada 15, Bautista 15, Mengoy 6, Palencia 3, Reed 2, Lopez 2, Jacob 0, Carino 0, Po, Saliddin 0, JG Reyes 0.

LA CONSOLACION (42) – Daganan 12, Carino 11, Grealy 9, Bardaje 5, Tamayo 2, Martin 2, Batac 1, Navarette 0, Lopez 0, Talag 0, Pahila 0, Latoreno 0.

Period Scores: 10-11, 23-23, 45-37, 62-42.

For Third Place

PHILIPPINE WOMEN’S (61) – Andaya 21, Salting 7, Danila 7, Abequibel 7, Tiongson 6, Himan 4, Carbonell 3, Domingo 3, Esteves 2, Fajardo 1, Tiwan 0.

TRINITY (60) – Aguas 23, Nidoy 8, Ortega 8, Godinez 6, Mariano 5, Goduco 4, Vegiga 3, Juico 2, Montero 1, Elorde 0, Collado 0, Laguerta 0, Filart 0.

Period Scores: 14-11, 27-22, 48-51, 61-60.

UCBL3: November 12 Recap

     PARANAQUE CITY – Technological Institute of the Philippines completed the semifinal cast of the Third Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL) by blasting Saint Joseph College of Bulacan, 96-59, at Olivarez College Monday afternoon.  The Engineers improved to 6-5 and are now beyond reach of their closest pursuer Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas which is at 3-7.

It was total domination for TIP as the best that the Taurus could do was take a 7-6 lead but this was quickly neutralized by 22-7 counter by the Engineers to close out the first period, 28-14.  TIP enjoyed their biggest lead of 39 points in the opening minute of the fourth, 77-38, as they coasted to the victory.

Papa Ndiaye churned out monster numbers of 26 points and 23 rebounds for the Engineers.  Jopet Soriano came off the bench to add 17 points and 11 rebounds.

In the first game, early semifinalist Centro Escolar University fortified its chances of landing one of the top two slots and the twice to beat advantage  by bulldozing over also-ran Philippine Christian University-Dasmarinas, 95-76.  The Scorpions improved to 9-1 and enter into a share of the league leadership with idle Diliman College at 9-1.

CEU settled matters early and unloaded 31 points in the opening period to lead, 31-21.  John Edcel Rojas played his best game in a Scorpions uniform by scattering 21 points on top of eight rebounds while Rich Guinitaran supported him with 19 points on four triples.

The Scorpions are now on a nine-game winning streak and can avenge their only loss of the season when they face opening day tormentor Olivarez College this Thursday.  The home side Sea Lions are at 8-2 with a good shot at snatching a top two slot.

How They Scored:

First Game

CENTRO ESCOLAR (95) – Rojas 21, Guinitaran 19, Wamar 15, Fuentes 11, Ke Caballero 8, Uri 7, Diouf 6, Diaz 4, Formento 2, David 2, Ko Caballero 0.

PCU-DASMARINAS (76) – Mulumba 18, Austria 16, Liza 15, Remolacio 9, Paluoja 7, Peralta 7, Daitol 2, Diez 2, Frias 0, Mangadan 0, Piedad 0, Ordiz 0.

Period Scores: 31-21, 50-37, 76-65, 95-76.

Second Game

TIP-MANILA (96) – Ndiaye 26, Soriano 17, Ramos 14, Sena 11, Ramilo 7, Navarro 6, B Santos 6, Jimenez 4, Palisoc 3, Manalang 2, Versoza 0.

SAINT JOSEPH-BULACAN (59) – Leguin 13, Salarza 11, Esteban 8, Taverner 7, Adriano 6, Intal 5, Decena 4, Lorzano 3, Barbacena 2, Bernal 0.

Period Scores: 28-14, 46-29, 72-38, 96-59.