San Sebastian keeps Lyceum winless in double OT thriller

c/o NCAA

San Sebastian barges into the win column of the NCAA Season 101 men's basketball tournament on Friday, needing two overtime periods to fend off Lyceum, 100-94, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

After an Ato Barba bucket to cut the deficit to a single point at 95-94 with 41 seconds left, Ian Cuajao converts a triple to restore a two-possession lead with twenty seconds left.

Barba, who finished with a game-high 32 points, would have a chance to answer, but he missed a layup with twelve seconds on the clock.

Jhuniel dela Rama then grabbed the rebound off said miss, his 23rd of the game, get fouled, and convert the two subsequent free throws for the final points of the game.

Golden Stags head coach Rob Labagala shares afterwards, "Before we were able to get this win, ang hirap ng pinagdaanan namin." He also adds, "Pero, it’s a good win for us kasi it’s not just a positive thing to win, nakakuha din kami ng ganitong klaseng experience as early as now."

Cuajao would finish with 25 points, while dela Rama secured a double-double with his fifteen markers. Also finishing with 25 is Christian Ricio, who shot 10/19 from the field.

San Sebastian looks to build on this as they face defending champions Mapua on Sunday in San Juan, while the Pirates, who were led with nineteen points from Joshua Moralejo and fifteen from Renz Villegas, will seek to end their skid against Arellano on Tuesday at the same venue.

The scores:

SAN SEBASTIAN 100 – Cuajao 25, Ricio 25, Dela Rama 15, Castor 12, Felebrico 8, Lumanag 6, Gabat 6, Nepacena 3, Velasco 0, Cabilla 0, Dimaunahan 0, Are 0

LYCEUM 94 – Barba 32, Moralejo 19, Villegas 15, Versoza 6, Daileg 6, Peñafiel 6, Abregana 6, Montaño 2, Casiño 2, Aurige 0, Aviles 0, Pallingayan 0, Dural 0, Gordon 0

NCAA Season 99 Juniors semifinals to commence Sunday

c/o NCAA

High School basketball action gets raised a notch with the semifinals of the NCAA Juniors Basketball Tournament on Sunday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.

Defending champions Letran finished with a 7-2 record, good enough for second place, behind the efforts of the Perpetual and their 8-1 mark. These two teams have secured the twice-to-beat advantage, in the process.

Completing the postseason field are San Sebastian and Mapua, who both tote 6-3 records.

Vice President and Head of GMA Integrated News, Regional TV, and Synergy Oliver Victor B. Amoroso shares, "As the NCAA Season 99 Junior Basketball action continues, we continue to witness our young heroes level up their games — starting off with 10 highly competent teams battling it out on the court to the semi-finals round, which will start this March 10.  As we further inch closer to the Finals, Kapuso sports enthusiasts should not miss out as there will definitely be more fun, exciting, and action-packed games to look forward to."

He adds, "To our junior athletes, especially the Perpetual Junior Altas, Letran Squires, SSC-R Staglets, and Mapua Red Robins, continue being an inspiration to the youth. May you reap the fruits of your hard work, discipline, and determination."

The first semifinal matchup features the top-ranked NCAA HS player of the NBTC 24 in Amiel Acido leading the Junior Altas against Lawrence Mangubat and the Red Robins at noon. That match will be followed by the duel between Titing Manalili and the Squires against Ruvic Danag and the Staglets at 230pm.

If either Mapua or San Sebastian win their matchups on Sunday, the do-or-die decider will take place on Wednesday, March 13.

The finals is set to start on March 16 at 930am, with Game 2 on March 20 at 230pm and if necessary, Game 3 is at 930am on March 23. These games will be televised LIVE on GTV.

Lyceum secures postseason berth

c/o GMA and NCAA

Lyceum booked its spot in the Final Four of the NCAA Season 99 basketball tournament, defeating San Sebastian, 83-80, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The Pirates on the heroics of Enoch Valdez in the victory, as the wingman took over in the second half, scoring fourteen of his eighteen points in the final twenty minutes, while also making an impact on the defensive end with a couple of steals and three blocks to complement his eight rebounds and seven assists.

Complementing Valdez on the offensive end is Patrick Montao, who nailed four triples to finish with a team-high 22 points.

The Golden Stags did not make it easy for their opposition even with their playoff hopes already dashed. They managed to hold a 42-34 halftime lead, and even with Lyceum's comeback, they had a chance to force the game into extras. However, Romel Calahat's heave failed to make its mark as the final buzzer sounds.

With their twelfth triumph in sixteen matches, the Intramuros-based squad joins neighbors Mapua in securing two of the four available spots. The Cardinals are a game ahead with their 13-3 record.

The next step for the Pirates is secure the twice-to-beat advantage by finishing as the top two teams in the league, which they can achieve if they can secure wins against Arellano on Saturday and against San Beda this coming Tuesday.

San Sebastian falls to 5-11.

The scores:

First Game

Lyceum 83- Montano 22, Valdez 18, Umali 13, Guadana 10, Barba 9, Omandac 5, Cunanan 2, Villegas 2, Penafiel 2, Bravo 0

SSC-R 80- Desoyo 22, Are 11, Felebrico 9, Calahat 9, Sumoda 7, Escobido 7, Velasco 4, Una 3, Ra. Gabat 3, Aguilar 3, Re. Gabat 2, De Leon 0, Castor 0, Singson 0

Quarterscores: 17-19; 34-42; 64-63; 83-80

CSB eliminates San Sebastian

c/o GMA and NCAA

College of Saint Benilde boosted its hopes of making the postseason of the NCAA Season 99 campaign with a 78-68 victory over San Sebastian at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

The Blazers established their dominance on the boards against the Golden Stags, which saw double-doubles from unlikely players to secure their tenth win against five defeats.

Miguel Oczon and Robi Nayve each netted identical thirteen points and ten rebounds, as CSB finished with a 58-47 rebounding advantage.

When asked about their performance, head coach Charles Tiu shares, "Very happy they were really boxing out. It’s good now that I can challenge my bigs to rebound more than the guards."

He adds, "Overall, it was a good rebounding game."

Tiu also highlighted Michael Mara's performance alongside Nayve's, noting "I thought Roby (Nayve) played well, bounced back from a poor performance last game, Michael Mara played one of the better games of his young career... It has to be a team effort."

Mara would finish with twelve points, eight rebounds, and a block.

Will Gozum led the team in scoring with fourteen points in his first start since being moved to the bench for past few games as a result of lack of effort, while also adding eight rebounds and four assist.

The Golden Stags are now officially eliminated from postseason contention with their tenth loss of the season.

The scores:

First Game

CSB 78- Gozum 14, Nayve 13, Oczon 13, Mara 12, Corteza 6, Carlos 4, Cajucom 4, Sangco 4, Jarque 3, Turco 3, Morales 2, Marcos 0, Arciaga 0

SSC-R 68- Calahat 14, Desoyo 11, Re. Gabat 8, Are 8, Escobido 7, Felebrico 6, Sumoda 5, Shanoda 5, Una 4, De Leon 0

Quarterscores: 21-12; 43-41; 58-54; 78-68

Golden Stags keep flickering postseason hopes alive

c/o GMA and NCAA

With postseason prospects getting slim, San Sebastian College-Recoletos pounced on an undermanned Letran side on Tuesday with a 94-75 victory at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

Rafael Are and Rommel Calahat combined to score 44 points for the Golden Stags, as they avenged their 86-71 first round defeat to the Knights, which happens to be their only win so far this season.

The victory moves San Sebastian up to a 5-9 record, allowing them to still have a glimmer of hope towards making the Final Four.

Head coach John Kallos shares post-match, "Siyempre one game at a time, kung may chance pa kami, we’ll do our best in each and every game and to learn from it, yun lang naman goal namin."

Are, who went 9/13 from the field on his way for a game-high 23 points, simply noted that they merely followed the game plan for today's matchup. He also padded four rebounds, six assists, and a steal.

Calahat, who is in his final season before entering the professional ranks, adds, "Mindset ko lang to focus every game and sabi nga ni coach, guide ko lang teammates ko." He contributed 21 points, while also padding the stat sheet with three rebounds and the same number of assists and steals, whilst also blocking a shot.

The road does not get easier for San Sebastian, as they face off against the hottest team in the league in the College of Saint Benilde on Sunday.

Kallos shares, "Siyempre malaki factor yung game nayan, morale booster if we can get that too. We will make sure lalaban kami in the end kahit sino kalaban namin."

The Knights, already without their skipper Kurt Reyson, also lost Nicko Fajardo to injury early on in this match-up. Jay Garupil led the Intramuros-based squad with a team-high sixteen points and six rebounds.

The scores:

SSC-R 94- Are 23, Calahat 21, Desoyo 13, Re. Gabat 13, Felebrico 10, Escobido 7, Una 6, Sumoda 1, Shanoda 0, Chuidian 0, Velasco 0, Singson 0
Letran 75- Garupil 16, Monje 13, Go 13, Cuajao 8, Javillonar 8, Ariar 6, Bautista 4, Fajardo 3, Bojorcelo 2, Batallier 2, Nunag 0, Jumao-as 0, Brilliantes 0, Santos 0
Quarterscores: 25-22; 51-38; 70-50; 25-24

San Sebastian nips Arellano

Games Sunday at EAC Gym
9:30 a.m. – JRU vs Arellano
1 p.m. – Lyceum vs La Salle-Greenhills

San Sebastian secured their first win of the season, nipping Arellano, 72-69 on Friday at the EAC Gym, as Rion Porcadas converted a triple with 24.4 seconds remaining at the NCAA Season 98 HS Basketball tournament.

Naren Mallari had the chance to force an extension for the Braves, but he missed the game-tying triple to give the win to the Staglets.

Porcadas finished with twelve points and five assists, while Ernest Geronimo led the team with twenty points, five rebounds, and seven assists. San Sebastian joins San Beda, Jose Rizal University, and Lyceum in a tie with a victory and a defeat in their slate.

Xyrill Jalalon, the younger brother of Jio, led the Braves with sixteen points, six rebounds, and five assists, while James Moore almost had a double-double with fourteen points, nine rebounds, and three assists.

Arellano drops to 0-2 alongside La Salle-Greenhills and Emilio Aguinaldo College.

Sunday action at the EAC Gym will feature JRU against Arellano at 930am, followed by LSGH against Lyceum at 1pm.

The next day will feature a triple-header, headlined by a matchup of two undefeated teams in Mapua and Perpetual.

San Sebastian claims Season 98 opener over Arellano

c/o NCAA

San Sebastian rode on their defense in the second half to fend off Arellano on Tuesday afternoon at the Filoil EcoOil Centre, 60-51.

The Golden Stags held the Chiefs without a field goal in the first 4:42 of the fourth quarter, providing themselves some semblance of cushion before Arellano fired thirteen straight points to reduce the deficit to 57-51.

Unfortunately for Arellano, Tristan Felebrico completed an and-1 play with 101 seconds remaining to restore a nine-point cushion and what turned out to be the final points of the game.

Egay Macaraya shared, post-match, "I think the guys just proved themselves na if we played defense, nandoon ang opensa namin.  That's our battlecry and motivation namin ngayon.  I hope we can bring it in other games."

Ichie Altamirano led San Sebastian with ten points, four rebounds, four assists and a couple of steals. As one of the team's leaders this season, the guard has embraced that responsibility.

"Sa team namin, talaga role player kami. Kayang depensa namin, ita-translate namin sa offense. Nagawa namin sa game, lalo na sa depensa," Altamirano says. He adds, "Kailangan nagsasalita kami on and off the court lalo na sa practice. Gina-guide namin sila, para sa ikagaganda ng team."

Rhinwil Yambing scored seven of his nine points in the third quarter, as San Sebastian went from a tied game at the half to a 50-38 lead heading into the fourth.

Axel Doromal led the Chiefs with fifteen points, three rebounds, and three assists, as they dropped to 1-1 in the early stages of the 98th season of the league. Cade Flores almost netted a double-double with twelve points and nine rebounds.

Shane Menina, who helped anchor Arellano to their Opening Day victory over Emilio Aguinaldo College with fifteen points, dealt with early foul trouble and was held scoreless in eighteen minutes of play.

The scores:

SSC-R (60) -- Altamirano 10, Villapando 9, Yambing 9, Felebrico 7, Cosari 6, Una 6, Sumoda 4, Are 3, Shanoda 2, Escobido 2, Desoyo 2, Suico 0.

Arellano (51) -- Doromal 15, Flores 12, Abastillas 8, Talampas 8, Oliva 2, Mallari 2, Tolentino 2, Sunga 2, Menina 0, Oftana 0, Mantua 0.

Quarterscores: 10-12, 27-27, 50-38, 60-51

National University, Adamson, San Sebastian snap up Fr. Martin's Cup wins

National University stamps class against UE

Rhena Itesi led National University in their 74-40 blowout of the University of the East in women's division action at the 25th Fr. Martin's Cup Summer League, which took place at the SGS Stadium in Quezon City.

The foreign student-athlete led the UAAP champions with fourteen points, as they pulled away early on in the first quarter and never looked back, maintaining a double-digit lead throughout the match.

Aside from the women's matchup, the Fr. Martin's Cup also had a couple of high school basketball matches, with Adamson and San Sebastian notching wins.

The Baby Falcons outlasted La Consolacion-Manila, 89-78, with JM Erolon leading the way with nineteen points.

The Junior Royals rode on Christian Alonzo, who led all scorers with 26 points.

As for the Golden Staglets, they closed the game on a 15-2 run to overturn a seven-point deficit in the final seven minutes, defeating Arellano, 72-66.

Dave Baio led San Sebastian with fourteen points, while Ivan Salinel led all scorers with fifteen for the Braves.

The 25th Fr. Martin's Cup Summer League is presented by Resorts World Manila, Bedans 62-66, and Cocolife.

Letran, Perpetual aspire for postseason qualification

Games Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

10am Letran vs San Sebastian (HS)
12nn Perpetual vs EAC-ICA (HS)
2pm Letran vs San Sebastian
4pm Perpetual vs EAC

Letran seeks to formalize its entry into the Final Four as it faces San Sebastian in the first collegiate matchup of the day, as the NCAA resume its eliminations campaign for basketball in its 94th season at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan this afternoon.

The Knights are looking to capitalize on their 80-79 victory over Lyceum last week, a win made possible by a referee deciding to downgrade Jaycee Marcelino's attempted game-tying triple with seconds remaining to just a two-point basket, doing so after time expired in regulation. They are already guaranteed to have at least a playoff for the twice-to-beat advantage with their 11-4 record, but a win would make it beyond the reach of the College of Saint Benilde and its seven losses.

San Sebastian is already eliminated from postseason contention with a 4-11 record, but they did manage to put a scare to the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, losing in overtime, 85-77.

Meanwhile, the Altas are looking to put additional between themselves and the Blazers as they face Emilio Aguinaldo College at 4pm. At 10-5, a win would add a half-game to their two-game lead over CSB, and also guarantee them at worst, a playoff for the Final Four.

High School action also set to resume later this morning, although all four teams involved are already out of the race for the Final Four.

The Squires face off against the Staglets at 10am, followed by the Junior Altas against the Brigadiers at noon.

Perpetual-San Sebastian, San Beda-CSB highlight Thursday NCAA action

Games scheduled on Thursday at the Filoil Flying V Centre

10am San Sebastian vs Perpetual (HS)
12nn San Beda vs La Salle-Greenhills (HS)
2pm San Sebastian vs Perpetual
4pm San Beda vs College of Saint Benilde

An interesting Thursday basketball schedule even got more attention with the latest developments that got fleshed out on Wednesday afternoon.

First reported on by Christian Jacinto on SPIN, the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta's season could unravel with the revelation that the Altas may have broken some eligibility rules involving some of their players, most notably Edgar Charcos and Kim Aurin.

As a result, Frankie Lim could potentially be missing their key cogs heading into their matchup against San Sebastian at 2pm, a matchup that went down the wire to the final seconds in Las Pinas during the first round.

The Golden Stags, as well as the Mapua Cardinals, Arellano Chiefs, and the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, will stand to benefit if the nine Perpetual victories are to be forfeited, as the four schools would be brought back into the postseason chase, with the chance to potentially catch-up with the College of Saint Benilde, who will have to deal with a punishing gauntlet of a schedule to end their eliminations stint.

The Blazers are playing defending champions San Beda later that afternoon at 4pm, with matches still to be played against currently top-ranked Lyceum and third-place Letran sandwiched around a match against also-rans JRU.

In the high school division, the Staglets are seeking to take advantage of a free-falling Junior Altas at 10am, with the loser of this matchup officially kissing their Final Four hopes goodbye. The other matchup features La Salle-Greenhills against San Beda at noon. The Red Cubs are looking to join Mapua/Malayan in a tie for second place if they can beat the Greenies.

Letran revisits San Beda rivalry today

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

10am Letran vs San Beda (HS)
12nn La Salle-Greenhills vs San Sebastian (HS)
2pm Letran vs San Beda
4pm College of Saint Benilde vs San Sebastian

The rivalry is once again revisited, with San Beda and Letran set to clash in their first collegiate matchup this afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

Set at 2pm, the Knights want to make amends after they were pipped by the Red Lions in overtime, 80-76 in the first round. The defending champions relied on AC Soberano's clutch shooting in the extension to snatch the win a month ago.

Letran will be buoyed by an inspired performance last Thursday, after learning about Jerrick Balanza's condition earlier in the week. The team has since decided to dedicate the rest of the season to him.

Regardless of the result of the 2pm game, the College of Saint Benilde will be active observers, as they face against San Sebastian to cap off the quadruple-header today.

Provided the Blazers beat the Golden Stags, they stand to be beneficiaries of whoever loses between San Beda and Letran, as a loss by the former would keep them tied with latter and gets them even closer to second place, while a loss by the latter moves them up to solo third place.

CSB would also want to secure a legitimate victory over San Sebastian, as they were one of the two beneficiaries of forfeited wins due to RK Ilagan's "ligang labas" incident.

In the high school division, La Salle-Greenhills is seeking to put some distance atop the HS division as they face San Sebastian at noon.

At 9-1, the Greenies have a one-game lead over Mapua/Malayan, and a 2.5 game advantage over San Beda.

The Red Cubs will kick off action today against Letran at 10am.

NCAA Season 94 second round kicks off

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

10am Lyceum vs San Sebastian (HS)
12nn San Beda vs JRU (HS)
2pm Lyceum vs San Sebastian
4pm San Beda vs JRU

Pacesetting Lyceum and San Beda seek to pad their lead against the rest of the field against separate opposition to kick off the second round of the NCAA's 94th season for basketball.

To secure their tenth win of the season, the Pirates will be up against league cellar-dwellers San Sebastian, who are expected to field RK Ilagan once again after he served his suspension due to his participation in a "ligang labas."

The Golden Stags as a result had to forfeit two wins and subsequently moved behind Mapua, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and JRU with just one win.

They, however, did give last season's finalists a hard time in their first round meeting, an 85-80 grinder on Opening Day.

Head coach Topex Robinson acknowledges that San Sebastian is a dangerous squad, "San Sebastian is always a tough opponent, complete or not. We just have to always be prepared."

The other collegiate matchup features the Red Lions against the Heavy Bombers, with the memories very fresh from their last meeting, which took place a week ago, 77-40.

In the high school division, the Junior Pirates of Lyceum are seeking to get their postseason aspirations back on track against the Staglets of San Sebastian at 10am, followed by a matchup between the third place Red Cubs of San Beda against the fourth place Light Bombers of JRU at noon.

NCAA All-Star set this afternoon

Schedule today at the Filoil Flying V Centre:

2pm All-Star Side Events
4pm Heroes vs Saints

With the NCAA in between their rounds, the league will have an All-Star Game kind of set-up this afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre, highlighted by the third edition of the NCAA All-Star Game.

The league brought back its Heroes vs Saints format from last year, with incumbent co-Players of the Week Robert Bolick and Bong Quinto joining forces for the Saints fresh from their historical feats.

The former became the player with the second highest output in league history with fifty points, while the latter dropped back-to-back triple doubles to close out Letran's first round.

They will join forces with San Sebastian's Michael Calisaan and Allyn Bulanadi, Letran's JP Calvo, San Beda's Javee Mocon, and CSB's Edward Dixon.

Completing the cast are CSB’s JJ Domingo and Luigi Velasco, Letran’s Christian Fajarito, San Beda’s Ranbill Tongco, San Sebastian’s Alvin Capobres, and Perpetual Help’s Jielo Razon, AJ Coronel and Kim Aurin.

Meanwhile, the Heroes will rely on Twin Magic from the Marcelino twins of Lyceum, as they will team up with fellow gunners Levi dela Cruz and Ian Alban from Arellano and Jed Mendoza of JRU.

Completing the cast are Arellano's Michael Canete, Emilio Aguinaldo’s Jerome Garcia, Enrico Diego and Jesse Bautista, Jr., Mapua’s Warren Bonifacio, Lawrence Victoria and Cedric Pelayo, LPU’s Kim Cinco, and Jose Rizal’s Karl Bordon and Richard David.

With the schools making the nominations on who represents them in the All-Star Game, the game features notable non-inclusions in the likes of Edgar Charcos, Prince Eze, Clement Leutcheu, Donald Tankoua, CJ Perez, and Mike Harry Nzeusseu.

Preceding the game itself are the different side events, starting at 2pm with the Skills Challenge, Three-Point Shootout, Slam Dunk Contest, and the Shooting Stars, which will feature the likes of Jio Jalalon, Rey Nambatac, and John Wilson.

NCAA All-Star participants named

On Friday, the NCAA revealed its participants for the NCAA All-Star Game.

Set to take place on August 31 at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan, it will feature the "Heroes vs Saints" format it introduced last season.

The Saints side of the matchup is stacked, with this season's MVP contenders Robert Bolick of San Beda, last year's All-Star Game MVP Prince Eze of Perpetual, and Bong Quinto of Letran nominated by their respective schools.

The Heroes side of the matchup will attempt to make up their 84-80 defeat last year, but they will have to do it without last season's Most Valuable Player CJ Perez, who was not nominated by Lyceum. In his stead, the Pirates are fielding the Marcelino twins and Ralph Tansingco. In addition, they will rely on the hot shooting of Levi dela Cruz of Arellano and Jed Mendoza of JRU.

Notable absences other than Perez in this All-Star matchup include foreign student-athletes Donald Tankoua, Mike Harry Nzeusseu, Hamadou Laminou, and Clement Leutcheu.

Preceding the event itself are the different side events to showcase the skills of the league's student athletes.

Justin Gutang of CSB leads the aspiring high-flyers in the dunk contest, while noted outside gunners AC Soberano, Allyn Bulanadi, Jerome Garcia, and Rence Alcoriza lead the field in the 3-point shootout.

All eyes on the trio of CJ Cadua, Mark Mallari, and Arjan dela Cruz in the Skills Challenge, while notable alumni Jio Jalalon, John Wilson, and Ronjay Enrile highlight the Shooting Stars which will have the combination of a current HS, collegiate, and alumnus working together as a team.

The complete list of NCAA All-Star participants are as follows:

Slam Dunk: William de Leon (Arellano), Renato Ular (Letran), Juju Bautista (EAC), Enoch Valdez (Lyceum), Arvin Gamboa (Mapua), Eugene Toba (San Beda), Kenneth Villapando (San Sebastian), Lean Martel (Perpetual), Justin Gutang (CSB)

3-Point Shootout: Rence Alcoriza (Arellano), Letran (Nicolo Galvelo), Jerome Garcia (EAC), MJ Dela Virgen (JRU), Ralph Tansingco (Lyceum), Exequiel Biteng (Mapua), AC Soberano (San Beda), Allyn Bulanadi (San Sebastian), Luke Sese (Perpetual), Carlo Young (CSB)

Skills Challenge: Maui Sera Joseph (Arellano), Bonbon Batiller (Letran), CJ Cadua (EAC), Mark Mallari (JRU), Carl Lumbao (Lyceum), Eric Jabel (Mapua), Clint Doliguez (San Beda), Arjan dela Cruz (San Sebastian), Jasper Cuevas (Perpetual), Jimboy Pasturan (CSB)

Shooting Star: John Ronald Barba & Kevin Lacap & Kim Cinco (Lyceum), Yong Garcia & Clint Escamis & Exequiel Biteng (Mapua), Penny Estacio & Calvin Oftana & Marcelo Pascual (San Beda), Milo Janao & Ian Valdez & Papa Jepoy Quiamco (San Sebastian), Jielo Razon & Gerald Dizon & Yuri Kawamura (Perpetual), Marlo Espiritu & Kraniel Viloria & Jio Jalalon (Arellano), Stacey Tibayan & Jerrick Balanza & Ronjay Enrile (Letran), CJ Boado & Maui Cruz & Ferdinand Melocoton (EAC), John Amores & Agem Miranda & John Wilson (JRU), Jimboy Pasturan & RJ Deles & Francis Lopez (CSB)

Saints: (Coach Boyet Fernandez)
CSB - Luigi Velasco, Josh Barnes, Jayjay Domingo
Letran - JP Calvo, Bong Quinto, Christian Fajarito
San Beda - Robert Bolick, Javee Mocon, Ranbill Tongco
San Sebastian - Michael Calisaan, Allyn Bulanadi, Alvin Capobres
Perpetual - Edgar Charcos, AJ Coronel, Prince Eze

Heroes: (Coach Topex Robinson)
Arellano: Levi dela Cruz, Ian Alban, Michael Canete
EAC: Jerome Garcia, Jerico Diego, Juju Bautista
Mapua: Warren Bonifacio, Laurenz Victoria, Cedric Pelayo
Lyceum: Jaycee Marcelino, Jayvee Marcelino, Ralph Tansingco
JRU: Jed Mendoza, Karl Bordon, Richard David

San Sebastian docked wins for Ilagan "ligang labas"

San Sebastian was hit with the double whammy on Thursday, as not only did they lose their collegiate assignment to San Beda, but also got hit by the book from the NCAA Management Committee.

The NCAA ManCom handed RK Ilagan a three-game suspension and forfeited two of the Golden Stags' three victories this season.

Ilagan had participated in an unauthorized basketball game or "ligang labas," which warranted the three-match suspension. But since the school handed down their own suspension, the sentence has been officially served.

As a result, San Sebastian's record after their first round concluded on Thursday is now 1-8, moving them to the league cellar behind previously winless Jose Rizal University, which along with the College of Saint Benilde, were gifted victories to move their records to 1-7 and 4-3, respectively.

In a statement, NCAA ManCom chairman Frank Gusi says, "The NCAA’s action on this incident, including the sanctions imposed, is in accordance with the existing NCAA Manual of Operations (MOO) and with the best interest of the league and the discipline of student athletes in mind."

Perpetual, San Beda continue NCAA ascent

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

8am Arellano vs La Salle-Greenhills (HS)
10am JRU vs EAC-ICA (HS)
12nn Arellano vs CSB
2pm JRU vs EAC
4pm Lyceum vs Letran
6pm Lyceum vs Letran (HS)

The University of Perpetual Help System Dalta extended their winning run to three straight games in defeating Mapua, 74-68, in the opening portion of the collegiate doubleheader for the 94th season of the NCAA yesterday afternoon.

Kim Aurin had his career-best performance against the Cardinals, as the JRU transfer contributed 22 points, four rebounds, five assists, and five steals, while Prince Eze bounced back from a relatively subpar performance less than 48 hours earlier with a near 20-20 outing.

The win moves them past Letran to take solo third at 5-2. It also surpasses their total win output from last season (4-14).

A 13-4 run by the Altas allowed them to take the lead at the end of the third quarter, 57-52, with nine of those points coming from Eze. They would then extend that lead to eleven points in the fourth quarter, 66-55. Although Mapua would be able to cut the deficit to as low as two points, 66-64, with just over three minutes remaining, Aurin converted a couple of baskets to provide the necessary cushion in order to hold on to the victory.

True freshman Warren Bonifacio led Mapua with thirteen points and twelve rebounds, while Cedric Pelayo and Denniel Aguirre each added ten markers.

In the other collegiate matchup yesterday, San Beda kept their record unblemished as they dispatched San Sebastian, 65-54.

Javee Mocon and James Canlas Kwekuteye took over in the fourth quarter for the Red Lions, as they each outscored the Golden Stags by themselves with ten points apiece. They also helped anchor a defense that limited San Sebastian to a field goal in the final 6:16. Mocon would finish with a double-double with sixteen points and eleven rebounds, while Canlas contributed a career-best twelve off the bench. Donald Tankoua was his reliable self for the defending champions with a double-double himself of twelve points and ten rebounds.

Allyn Bulanadi's twenty points led San Sebastian, as they concluded their first round campaign

In high school action, Mapua/Malayan beat Perpetual, 89-65, while San Sebastian pipped San Beda, 52-51.

The scores:

Perpetual Help 74 – Aurin 22, Eze 19, Coronel 14, Razon 5, Charcos 5, Peralta 4, Cuevas 3, Mangalino 2, Sese 0

Mapua 68 – Bonifacio 13, Pelayo 10, Aguirre 10, Lugo 7, Biteng 7, Jabel 6, Salenga 6, Gamboa 5, Bunag 2, Serrano 2, Garcia 0, Pajarillo 0

Quarterscores: 22-22; 34-33; 57-52; 74-68

Second Game

San Beda 65 – Mocon 16, Tankoua 12, Canlas 12, Bolick 6, Doliguez 5, Eugene 4, Presbitero 3, Tongco 3, Oftana 2, Carino 2, Abuda 0, Soberano 0, Cuntapay 0, Nelle 0, Cabanag 0

San Sebastian 54 – Bulanadi 20, Calisaan 15, Calma 6, Capobres 4, Dela Cruz 4, Baytan 2, Villapando 2, Are 1, Sumoda 0, Valdez 0, Isidro 0, Desoyo 0

Quarterscores: 18-18; 29-31; 45-46; 65-54 

San Beda, Perpetual seek to close in on Lyceum

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre:

10am Mapua/Malayan vs Perpetual (HS)
12nn San Sebastian vs San Beda (HS)
2pm Mapua vs Perpetual
4pm San Sebastian vs San Beda

The 94th season of the NCAA resumes with its basketball action today with a pair of doubleheaders, with the collegiate doubleheader seeing San Beda and Perpetual looking to consolidate their hold in the top half of the standings.

The Red Lions are seeking their sixth straight victory to kick off their campaign, as they face San Sebastian in the final scheduled game of the day at 4pm, while the Altas face Mapua just before that at 2pm.

San Beda is fresh from a scintillating 80-76 overtime victory against traditional rivals Letran last week, while the Golden Stags seek to end their first round on a positive note after a tumultuous stretch that included losing RK Ilagan for the past few matches.

As for Perpetual, they are fresh from fending off a potential upset bid from Jose Rizal University less than 48 hours ago, needing Jielo Razon's clutch three-pointers to join the Knights at 4-2 with a 78-72 win. A win today would move them into solo third place, and according to head coach Frankie Lim, he believes that his offense will be key in securing the win later.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are looking to address their tailspin and are hoping to get their postseason hopes back on track with a victory this afternoon.

In the high school ranks, a potential Final Four preview could be in store with Mapua/Malayan facing Perpetual at 10am. The Red Robins are in solo second at 5-2, while the Junior Altas are half-a-game behind at 4-2. Following that juicy matchup is San Beda looking to extend their current winning streak to five matches as they go up against San Sebastian at noon.

Perpetual caps off NCAA on Tour with dramatic ending

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

8am EAC-ICA vs Mapua/Malayan (HS)
10am JRU vs Arellano (HS)
12nn EAC vs Mapua
2pm JRU vs Arellano
4pm San Beda vs Letran
6pm San Beda vs Letran (HS)

The final playdate of the second edition of the NCAA on Tour provided some dramatic closure, as Perpetual Help System Dalta completed the doubleheader sweep against San Sebastian last Thursday afternoon.

In the first part of the doubleheader, the Junior Altas needed overtime to dispatch the Golden Staglets, 70-64.

Joshua Gallano's triple in the extra session kickstarted an 8-2 run that provided the necessary cushion for the Junior Altas to escape with the win. He would finish with twenty points, fourteen rebounds, a couple of assists, a couple of steals, and three blocks.

Complementing Joshua was Emman Galman's double-double with eighteen points and ten rebounds.

The win allowed Perpetual to join idle Arellano in second place at 4-1, just a half-game behind La Salle-Greenhills and half-a-game ahead of Mapua/Malayan.

Kean Baclaan and Milo Janao combined to score 32 points for San Sebastian, as they fell further to the middle of the pack at 3-5.

The second half of the doubleheader saw the Altas pip the Golden Stags, 78-76 to make it a happy homecoming for the Perpetual community.

Fresh from a timeout with 3.3 seconds remaining, true freshman Jielo Razon acted as the inbounder, passing it to AJ Coronel, who feigned taking the shot from the baseline and instead set up Prince Eze for the game-winning tip-in, with half a second left to snatch the victory for the home crowd and complete a comeback from 21 points down in the first half.

They managed to whittle the deficit down to a two-possession game by the end of the third quarter by relying on Rey Peralta and Edgar Charcos, as they combined for seventeen points in the period. Perpetual also summoned their defense from what was a first half slumber, limiting San Sebastian to eleven points. They then rode on the offense of Coronel, Charcos, and Eze in the final period, with each player scoring nine points.

Eze would finish with 22 points, eighteen rebounds, and six blocks, while Charcos adding eighteen points, five rebounds, a couple of assists, a block, and three steals. Peralta and Coronel combined for twenty points.

Without a timeout, San Sebastian had only a minute chance of getting an attempt in their final possession from the backcourt, but Michael Are's desperation attempt from three hit the rim.

Allyn Bulanadi led the Golden Stags with a double-double performance of 21 points and twelve rebounds, while Alvin Capobres followed-up his career-high performance in the last game with nineteen points. Arjan dela Cruz, whose triple with 3.3 seconds remaining tied the game at 76 and set up Perpetual's late-game heroics, added eleven markers, as they fell to 3-5 for the season.

In the six-game bill today, the premier matchup sees undefeated San Beda face current third places Letran in the resumption of their decades-long rivalry at 4pm. Jose Rizal University attempts to end their skid against Arellano at 2pm, while EAC and Mapua face off at noon to kick off the televised matchups for the day.

The scores:

Perpetual Help 70 – Gallano 20, Galman 18, Galoy 7, Barcuma 5, Nunez 4, Orgo 4, Kawamura 4, Duka 2, Defante 2, Dela Cruz 2, Romilla 2, Coloma 0, Oguinsanya 0

San Sebastian 64 – Baclaan 17, Janao 15, Bonalos 9, Are 7, Pinero 6, Suico 4, Timbancaya 2, Perez 2, Austria 2, Balo 0, Loristo 0

Quarterscores: 10-17, 24-30, 50-44, 60-60, 70-64 (OT)

Perpetual Help 78 – Eze 22, Charcos 18, Peralta 11, Coronel 9, Mangalino 5, Aurin 4, Razon 3, Gallardo 2, Cuevas 2, Sese 2, Tamayo 0, Pasia 0

San Sebastian 76 – Bulanadi 21, Capobres 19, Dela Cruz 11, Calma 8, Are 6, Calisaan 5, Desoyo 2, Isidro 2, Villapando 2, Valdez 0, Sumoda 0

Quarterscores: 12-20; 27-46; 51-57; 78-76

NCAA on Tour heads to Perpetual for final stop

Games today at the Perpetual Help System Dalta Gym in Las Pinas vs San Sebastian

2pm HS
4pm College

The final doubleheader to complete the Season 94 edition of the NCAA on Tour is set later this afternoon, as the league heads to Las Pinas.

Hosts Perpetual Help System Dalta looks to keep themselves in pace with the league leaders as they face San Sebastian in the lone collegiate matchup at 4pm.

At 2-2 and placeholders of the fourth and final postseason spot, the Altas are the only .500 team in the league and a win keeps them a game behind idle Letran and moves their lead over Arellano to a full game. They are looking to bounce back after smarting from a 91-77 defeat to Lyceum last Friday.

Head coach Frankie Lim is seeking more consistent play from his side in order to get back onto the winning groove. He shared to the media after the game, "We had mental lapses. We can’t play like that and expect to win."

Meanwhile, the Golden Stags routed Mapua last Tuesday, 94-70, to improve their record to 3-4. A win would move them into solo fourth and drop Perpetual into a tie with Arellano at 2-3.

With RK Ilagan forcibly sidelined due to a team-imposed suspension, San Sebastian rode on career-best performances from Alvin Capobres and Alex Desoyo against the Cardinals. Capobres contributed 21 points, with seventeen coming in the second half, while Desoyo scored all twelve of his points in the second half.

Opening the doubleheader is the high school match-up between the two schools, with the Junior Altas seeking to solidify their standing nearly atop the division against the Golden Staglets.

Perpetual is currently 4-1, just a game behind pace-setting La Salle-Greenhills, while San Sebastian is at 3-4, a game and a half behind idle Mapua/Malayan for the fourth and final playoff slot.

Lyceum, Letran maintain winning pace

San Sebastian did not let the RK Ilagan investigation bother them one bit in their matchup against Mapua, kicking off Tuesday's collegiate tripleheader, 94-70.

The school had suspended Ilagan for the remainder of the first round, pending the result of a league investigation in the player's participation in a "ligang labas" before the season started.

In his absence, a couple of Golden Stags ably stepped up to fill the gap, as Alvin Capobres and Alex Desoyo took over in the second half against the Cardinals.

Capobres matched Mapua's entire third quarter with thirteen points, anchoring a 14-2 run to break the game open. The second-generation swingman finished with a career-high 21 points. Desoyo scored all twelve of his points in the second half, with ten of them coming in the final period.

Allyn Bulanadi was a steady presence for San Sebastian with fourteen points, six rebounds, five assists, and a steal, while JM Calma completed the cast of double figure scorers with eleven points.

Cedric Pelayo led Mapua with fifteen points, while Laurenz Victoria added thirteen points.

Lyceum remained undefeated in NCAA Season 94, defeating College of Saint Benilde, 77-65 to extend their winning streak to seven matches.

Reigning league Most Valuable Player CJ Perez scored eight points in a 13-0 run late in the third quarter to allow the Pirates to break away from the Blazers. He would finish with a game-high 22 points, while also padding the stat sheet with twelve rebounds and five steals.

Mike Harry Nzeusseu added sixteen points, thirteen rebounds, an assist and five blocks, while Jaycee Marcelino and MJ Ayaay combined for 25 points off the bench.

After CSB gave them fits early on, head coach Topex Robinson shared to the media after the game, "There’s always going to be a challenge. There’s always going to come a time where we have to push ourselves to the limit and do our best and I’m glad my boys didn’t give up on this one."

Justin Gutang and Edward Dixon led CSB with thirteen points each, while Yankie Haruna added twelve markers. They drop to 2-4 this season.

Completing the collegiate tripleheader was Letran's 88-70 victory over Arellano. Seven Knights combined to score all but four of their points against the Chiefs, as they once again rode on their inside dominance to secure their fourth straight victory.

Anchoring their assault in the paint is Larry Muyang, who led Letran with sixteen points and ten rebounds, while Christian Fajarito, Bong Quinto, and Jeo Ambohot combined for thirty points and 23 rebounds. Jerrick Balanza scored eight of his fourteen points in the third quarter to anchor their breakaway, while JP Calvo netted thirteen points, four rebounds, and six assists.

Michael Canete scored a game-high 23 points to lead Arellano in the loss, dropping them to 2-3.

The scores:

San Sebastian 94 – Capobres 21, Bulanadi 14, Desoyo 12, Calma 11, Valdez 9, Calisaan 8, Isidro 7, Dela Cruz 7, Sumoda 4, Arciaga 1, Villapando 0, Are 0, Baytan 0

Mapua 70 – Pelayo 15, Victoria 13, Bunag 8, Bonifacio 7, Jabel 7, Lugo 7, Gamboa 7, Biteng 3, Carandang 3, Aguirre 0, Serrano 0, Garcia 0, Salenga 0, Bautista 0

Quarterscores: 24-16, 41-40, 70-53, 94-70

Lyceum 77 – Perez 22, Nzeusseu 16, Marcelino JC 14, Ayaay 11, Caduyac 6, Marcelino JV 5, Pretta 3, Tansingco 0, Serrano 0, Ibanez 0, Cinco 0, Santos 0, Valdez 0, Yong 0
CSB 65 – Gutang 13, Dixon 13, Haruna 12, Leutcheu 8, Pasturan 8, Young 7, Carlos 4, Naboa 0, Velasco 0, Domingo 0, Belgica 0

Quarterscores: 20-21, 34-31, 56-51, 77-65

Letran 88 – Muyang 16, Balanza 14, Calvo 13, Quinto 11, Fajarito 11, Batiller 11, Ambohot 8, Mandreza 2, Agbong 2, Balagasay 0, Taladua 0, Yu 0, Celis 0

Arellano 70 – Canete 23, Alcoriza 13, Dela Cruz 11, Alban 8, Villoria 7, Concepcion 6, Dela Torre 2, Sera Josef 0, Ongolo Ongolo 0, Santos 0, Bayla 0, Sacramento 0, Codinera 0, Segura 0

Quarterscores: 16-17; 37-36; 66-55; 88-70