NCAA Season 93 Junior Basketball: The Lyceum Junior Pirates and the best games of McLaude Guadaña (part 1)

11 July 2017

12 nn

Tuesday,

FilOil-Flying Arena Sports Center

San Juan City

The exposure that Mclaude  Guadaña   had this year with Batang Gilas seems to be rubbing off on his game.

Coach LA Mumar took note of this after Guadaña found his range at endgame and carried the Lyceum Junior Pirates to a 94-87 stopping of the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers last July 11.

“Batang really helped. We feel that this is his year to really step up,” said Mumar.

Lyceum”s Mclaude Guadaña dribbles his way past a JRU defender).

Guadaña, who started playing for the Junior Pirates at age 13, gave the Junior Pirates some distance during those crucial moments.

This gave the Junior Pirates  a chance to pull off their first win in the 93rd National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) junior basketball tournament.

The 5’11 Guadana’s heroics in the last 2 minutes were the ones that made the difference.

(Vincent Cunanan in action).

Totalling 19 points throughout the game, Guadaña made heads turn with the  11 points he made in the last period.

His baskets came right when the Light Bombers slightly ahead.

First, Guadaña  scored from inside a crowded shaded lane at the right side.

(John  Barba(10) watches as Lyceum teammate Mclaude Guadaña plays defense).

This  allowed the Junior Pirates to regain the lead, 85-84, in the last 3:06.

His two treys found their mark right after Vincent Cunanan drove in with 1:47 left, and after the Light Bombers bungled two easy shots.

From there, the Junior Pirates were safely ahead, 93-87, with 25 ticks to go.

(Lyceum’s Chester Jungco is a rebound battle with JRU players).

“Buti naman nakabawi ako. Nung first to third quarter struggle ako sa laro ko,” said Guadana, who was limited to four points in the third.

Junior Pirates LA Mumar said opening day jitters allow the Light Bombers to challenge their slim lead and stay close with repeated rallies.

“We play well. Then, we falter. Its been happening in all quarters. Hopefully, we’ll work on this in future games,” said Mumar.

 

(Guadaña and teammate Neil Ruiz double teams a  JRU player).

Kobe Caballero led the Light Bombers with 19 points while John Sicat had 18.

-Mapua 91 Letran Squires 75

Clint Escamis, one of the defending champion Mapua University Red Robins, was on fire early in the game.

 

He shot 10 of his game high 18 points in the first period as he tried his best to help the Red Robins post a 91-75 swamping of the Letran Squires last night at the Arena in San Juan.

 

But as he and teammate Jeff Sapinit fell into foul trouble early, other teammates stepped up  to help bring the Red Robins to their second straight win in the 92nd National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) junior basketball tournament.

 

Mike Enriquez, back from injury that recurred during the finals last year, scored all of his  six points in the second period.

 

But that was enough for him, as he and teammates Will Gozum, Erick Jabel and Joaqui Garcia combined for 12 points during the last 10 minutes of the first half.

 

Their efforts allowed the Red Robins to overcome a 14-17 deficit, and move away 43-30, at the end of the first half.

 

Their zone defense in the second half picked up.

 

With Gozum making 5 of 17 points, and hauling down 10 rebounds, the Red Robins went on to post 62-50 spread when the third period ended.

 

“Maganda iyung dinipensa. Pero sa huli. Hindi kami puedeng magpabaya kasi muntik na kaming habulin,” said Red Robins coach Randy Alcantara.

 

The Squires played with new coach Raymund Valenzona calling the shots.

 

Valenzona once led the San Sebastian Staglets to the crown back in the days of Ryan Buenafe.

 

The Squires, who fell behind by as much as 22 points, got 15 points from Neil Tolentino, while Enoch Valdez and Russelle Aniban 13.

 

 

 

–LSGH 64, Perpetual Help 60

 

Inand Fornillo banged in 22 points for the La Salle Greenhills Greenies as they repulsed the Perpetual Help Junior Altas.

 

Albert Bordeos, a transferee from San Beda, contributed 14 points, including two game-winning free throws.

 

The Junior Altas kept matters tight in the closing second, and forced a 60-all tie of John Umali’s basket.

 

Then, their chance to break the tie came off Joel Cagulangan’s charities.

 

Esvin Inliwan topscored with 15 points for the Junior Altas, while Jielo Razon had 11.

 

 

 

NCAA Season 93 Junior basketball : Evan Nelle steps up, San Beda Red Cubs win

09 July 2017,

Sunday,

Letran College gym

3:45 p.m.

On the San Beda Red Cubs’ first game of the season, point guard Evan Nelle felt frustrated in the third quarter.

 

His shots were not going in.

 

And this was keeping the team from taking a big lead in the start of the 93rd National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) junior basketball tournament at the almost dimly lit Letran College gymnasium in Intramuros.

(Evan Nelle dribbling his way towards the San Beda side of the court.)

But when he found  people who were open and unguarded  in the last period, the Red Cubs went on to pull off an 86-75 triumph over a dangerous San Sebastian Staglets.

“My shots weren’t going in. So what I planned to do was pass the ball to my teammates who are on defense,” said Nelle.

It was in the last five minutes when Nelle found many opportunities.

(Sam Abu Hijle under tight guarding from Staglet Damie Cuntapay).

Scoring only six points, and dishing out an above-average 14 assists for the Red Cubs, he scored on a drive, and then assisted Peter Alfaro during a fastbreak.

These two crucial plays fuelled the Red Cubs’ decisive scoring run.

This time around, the San Beda Red Cubs did not have an easy time with the San Sebastian Staglets.

(Eduardo Velasquez jr. guarding his man underneath the basket).

But, with veteran guard Evan Nelle taking charge and finding the open man in the last period, the Red Cubs pulled off an 86-75 triumph over the Staglets yesterday at the Letran College gymnasium in Intramuros.

At that time,  the Stags were threatening, 69-72.

With Nelle and Alfaro joining up for the two plays, the Red Cubs then moved away on a 12-0 blast.

(Big man Germy Mahinay tries to escape a double team).

Nelle scored only six points, and did an above-average 14 assists for the Red Cubs in the start of the 93rd National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) junior basketball tournament.

He scored on a drive, and then assisted Peter Alfaro during a fastbreak, and this two crucial plays fuelled the Red Cubs’ decisive scoring run in the last five minutes.

With the Stags threatening, 69-72, the Red Cubs then moved away on a 12-0 blast.

(Peter Alfaro going for a three-point shot).

Alfaro showed the way with 17 points for the Red Cubs, Addie Velasquez added Sam Abu Hijle added 16.

“Expected namin ito. I’m preparing the boys because  every game, hindi na madali,” said Red Cubs coach JB Sison.

The Red Cubs, who lost the crown to the Mapua Red Robins last year, held their ground as the Staglets rallied repeatedly.

The Staglets, the reigning Fr. Martin Cup Summer cagefest champions, were led by Damie Cuntapay with 25 points and 10 rebounds, and stayed close for the last time, 69-72.

That was after Lewis Pasamante stole off Nelle and assisted Cuntapay for an undergoal stab.

The loss spoiled the debut of new Staglets coach Mel Banua, who took over Franco Atienza after season 92 ended last year.

 

The Rise of the Mapua Red Robins as champions and the last dance of the San Beda Red Cubs (part 3)

(Season 92 flashback: injured point guard Mike Enriquez drops his crutches to join the Mapua Red Robins in celebrating their title conquest in the junior division. Coach Randy Alcantara and another senior school official joins him).

(With Season 93 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament is about to start again. Here’s looking back to how the season ended in season 92).

Oct, 14. 2016

SM Mall of Asia Arena

4 p.m.

Friday

(The Mapua Red Robins in the thick of celebration last season).

The Red Robins made do with the absence of point guard Mike Enriquez, who suffered a recurring foot injury in Game 2 when the Red Cubs won 81-78.

The series ended  at 2-1 after the Red Robins took Game 3 with an 83-64 win.

But Mike was around, and watch from behind the bench, in crutches as his teammates stepped up in his absence, and carried on.

(San Beda Red Cubs veteran Evan Nelle is caught in a double team by Bryan Samudio(13) and Brian Lacap (8)).

Their team effort, and with Mike’s inspiring presence allowed the Red Robins to push for the win their final game of the season.

This happened on Oct. 14, 2016, Friday when the Mapua/Malayan High School of Science (MHSS) Red Robins won their first title in 16 years.

This gave them a big reason to celebrate at the end of in the 92nd National Collegiate Athletic Association Junior Basketball finals at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

(Juaquin Garcia (17) seeks an open man after Red Cubs cager Prince Etrata covers him).

The Mapua (Malayan High School of Science) Red Robins fought with pride till the end.

Because their title conquest, the Mapua Red Robins are considered this early as the favorite to win a back-to-back title the next NCAA season.

Juaquin Garcia shot 12 points, with his jumper in the fourth helping the Red Robins stay up by 15.

(Germy Mahinay(12) tries to dribble his way past Clint Escamis (10)).

The performance of the Red Robins in their last game of the season seemed to have overwhelmed the Red Cubs.

“Na-pressure ang mga bata. We were flat the whole game. I was expecting a closer game because this is a deciding game. Pero, the whole game, we were trying to catch up.  May run kami. May sagot sila,” said Red Cubs coach JB Sison.

Carlo Obenza led the Red Cubs with 14 points while Addie Velasquez also had 14, and Mahinay added 11.

 

(Sam Abu Hijleh gets in front of a driving Bryan Samudio).