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.

San Beda seeks winning follow-up to Bolick 50

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

10am Perpetual vs Arellano (HS)
12nn San Beda vs JRU (HS)
2pm Perpetual vs Arellano
4pm San Beda vs JRU

How do you top a historic outing?

Robert Bolick and the San Beda Red Lions seek to answer that question this afternoon, as they cap off a quadruple-header at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

Bolick on Friday afternoon torched Arellano for fifty points in their 98-79 victory, which turned out to be the most points scored by a NCAA player since 1974, when Lim Eng Beng set the record with 55 for La Salle against Letran back in the day. Head coach Boyet Fernandez wishes for a repeat occurrence later, as he shared to the media, "Hopefully he can sustain his hot shooting."

The Leyte native knows the Heavy Bombers will make the necessary adjustments to stop him. He says, "I expect that to happen. I just have to be prepared and find ways to hit shots or just help my team get a win."

JRU is looking to keep a good run going after their 57-55 victory over Emilio Aguinaldo College last week.

The other collegiate matchup that afternoon features Perpetual Help against Arellano at 2pm.

With both sides smarting off losses last Friday, the Altas and the Chiefs are seeking to end their first round on a positive note.

Both teams are looking to keep themselves in the running for the postseason, especially for Arellano, who could reduce the gap between them and Perpetual to just a single game.

In high school action, the Junior Altas and the Braves kick off the quadruple header at 10am, with the Light Bombers and the Red Cubs squaring off at noon. The loser of the JRU-San Beda matchup will be in a tie with the winner of the Perpetual-Arellano matchup for fourth place, as the race to the Final Four starts to heat up and teams try to keep pace with last season's finalists La Salle-Greenhills and Mapua/Malayan.

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

Quinto, Bolick share Player of the Week nod

The NCAA Press Corps had a complication situation in their hands on Friday evening, as they had their deliberations to determine who was the Chooks-to-Go Player of the Week. And in the process of debating and discussing the merits, the group made the decision to have the citation shared by the two players with historic feats this week.

On Tuesday, Bong Quinto pulled off a triple-double against Mapua. He would contribute twelve points, ten rebounds, and eleven assists in under 28 minutes. Then on Friday, he would author another one against Emilio Aguinaldo College, producing eleven points, ten rebounds, and eleven assists. Both times resulted in victories for the Letran Knights, as they picked up the pieces from consecutive defeats against finals contenders San Beda and Lyceum.

Quinto's feat was last seen when current pros Calvin Abueva and Scottie Thompson were still representing San Sebastian and Perpetual, respectively.

According to Letran head coach Jeff Napa, "Bong Quinto is truly our leader. He is setting an example kaya nagiging maganda takbo namin." He adds, "If Bong plays well, everybody plays well. Ang maganda ay in-accept na niya yung pagiging leader ng team."

Then came Robert Bolick's outing against Arellano.

Just days after putting up eighteen points, five rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block in a close loss to Lyceum, The Leyte native then made recent collegiate basketball history with a fifty-point outburst against the Chiefs, which turned out to be the second-highest scoring output in league history.

Only Lim Eng Beng's 55-point explosion from La Salle back when they were still in the NCAA was higher.

Reflecting on Bolick's feat, San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez shares, "You can't really compare Robert to anyone ‘cause iba-iba sila ng laro but again, nag-iisa lang ang Robert Bolick."

And after a very long deliberation, the Press Corps decided to have the citation shared between the two graduating players, beating out CJ Perez and Justin Gutang for the nod.

Historic NCAA Friday

Games Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

10am Perpetual vs Arellano (HS)
12nn San Beda vs JRU (HS)
2pm Perpetual vs Arellano
4pm San Beda vs JRU

It was a very historic Friday afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre, as all three collegiate games featuring something special.

Kicking things off was Letran's demolition of Emilio Aguinaldo College, 76-56. The Knights rode on a 29-point second quarter to secure the necessary breathing room to run away with the victory, as they closed out their first round campaign with a 6-3 record.

Bonbon Batiller had his best performance so far in a Knight, as the UE transfer poured in seventeen points, four rebounds, and three assists.

However, it was Bong Quinto who stole the show with ten points, ten rebounds, and eleven assists, allowing him to secure back-to-back triple doubles, a feat last done by Scottie Thompson earlier this decade for Perpetual.

Following that up is an 84-77 victory by the College of Saint Benilde against the Altas.

With NBA legend Tim Hardaway in attendance and assisting in the broadcast, the Blazers rode on the fourth quarter explosion of Jimboy Pasturan to pull away against this season's hosts, as the Adamson transfer scored nine of his eleven points in the final six minutes of the game. That 20-7 run allowed them to establish an 82-70 lead with 73 seconds left. And although the lead was whittled down to just five with 43 seconds to go, Pasturan would convert a couple of free throws to put the game on ice.

Complementing Pasturan are Justin Gutang and Yankie Haruna, who both chipped in twenty points apiece.

Unintentionally aiding matters for CSB was Perpetual's Edgar Charcos suffered a hyperextended right knee. The Altas missed his steadiness and playmaking that led to their three-game winning streak being snapped.

And to cap off an amazing afternoon, it was a game befitting of Kobe Day, with Robert Bolick channeling his inner Mamba Mentality to erupt for fifty points to lead San Beda to a 98-79 victory over Arellano.

Bolick took over in the final two quarters for the Red Lions, as he virtually matches the Chiefs' entire second half output with 37 points. An 18-4 run he virtually single-handedly conducted in the third quarter got the defending champions rolling, enabling them to establish a 68-57 lead with his drives to the basket. And he continued it in the fourth quarter, as he would wax hot from beyond the arc, going 4/6 from deep.

After his final triple that got him to the hallowed half-century mark, Boyet Fernandez took him out of the game, to the applause of the crowd who witnessed such a historic achievement.

The Chiefs would skid to 3-5, while the defending champions move up to 7-1.

The scores:

LETRAN 76 – Batiller 17, Quinto 11, Balanza 9, Calvo 9, Muyang 8, Yu 7, Agbong 5, Fajarito 4, Ambohot 2, Banez 2, Mandreza 2, Balagasay 0, Celis 0, Galvelo 0, Taladua 0.

EAC 56 – Laminou 18, Garcia 11, Tampoc 9, Bautista 6, Cadua 4, Cruz 4, Fujentes 2, Neri 2, Diego 0, Gonzales 0, Maguliano 0, Mendoza 0, Natividad 0.

Quarters: 14-17, 43-29, 57-46, 76-56.

ST. BENILDE 84 -- Gutang 20, Haruna 20, Pasturan 13, Domingo 9, Leutcheu 7, Young 5, Belgica 3, Nayve 3, Carlos 2, Dixon 2, Naboa 0, Velasco 0.

PERPETUAL 77 -- Eze 24, Aurin 23, Razon 13, Charcos 9, Cuevas 4, Peralta 4, Coronel 0, Mangalino 0, Pasia 0.

Quarters: 18-12, 29-29, 53-57, 84-77.

SAN BEDA 98 -- Bolick 50, Mocon 15, Tankoua 13, Canlas 6, Eugene 6, Oftana 4, Abuda 2, Nelle 2, Cabanag 0, Carino 0, Cuntapay 0, Doliguez 0, Soberano 0, Tongco 0.

ARELLANO 79 -- Canete 24, Dela Cruz 16, Dela Torre 9, Alcoriza 8, Concepcion 7, Sera Josef 6, Villoria 6, Alban 2, Segura 1, Bayla 0, Codinera 0, Ongolo Ongolo 0, Sacramento 0, Santos 0.

Quarters: 23-20, 42-40, 69-57, 98-79

San Beda seeks bounce back win

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

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

Fresh from a loss against Lyceum, San Beda seeks to regain their bearings against Arellano in the final part of a collegiate triple-header at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

The 73-66 defeat was their first defeat of the season after winning their first six matches, and the team looks eager to get back onto the court at 4pm to make amends.

According to Boyet Fernandez, "We just have to bounce back from it and try to get as many wins as possible."

They will attempt to do so against the middling Chiefs, who are currently 3-4 and in the middle of the pack this season.

Meanwhile, Letran is looking to improve their postseason position against a hapless Emilio Aguinaldo College at noon. A win would allow them to close the first round on a strong note with back-to-back wins while also solidifying their case for a postseason berth.

Completing the collegiate tripleheader is the matchup between Perpetual Help and College of Saint Benilde at 2pm, with both teams clearly making their case for turnarounds after last season's disappointments.

Meanwhile, the highlight of the high school tripleheader is pace-setting La Salle-Greenhills against the Perpetual Junior Altas at 10am.

NCAA Finals Rematch on tap today

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan:

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

The much-anticipated matchup between last season's finalists will finally take place this afternoon, as San Beda and Lyceum tangle in the final game of the day at 4pm.

Both teams have combined to win fourteen straight games and the winner is set to move up to solo leadership in the standings.

Although the Pirates have beaten the Red Lions in the regular season, they were unable to match that in the finals, putting their historic 18-0 regular season sweep to naught.

With both teams parading virtually the same cast of characters, it is expected to be another humdinger of a matchup, with San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez sharing to the media, "It will be an exciting game for sure."

Lyceum is looking to conclude their first round on a great note, as the league's best offense attempts to overrun the league's best defense that is being touted by the defending champions.

The other collegiate matchup sees Letran up against Mapua at 2pm. The Knights are seeking to bounce back from consecutive losses against undefeated San Beda and Lyceum, but both matches showed why they are perceived as title contenders, losing in OT to the former and toting an 8-point lead late in the fourth against the latter. A win over the middling Cardinals would put them back in the running for the postseason as it moves them into a tie with idle CSB for fourth in the league.