09 July 2014,
Wednesday,
8 p.m.,
FilOil-Flying V Arena,
San Juan
Team Standings W L
JRU Light Bombers 3 0
Arellano Braves 2 0
San Beda Red Cubs 2 1
Letran Squires 2 1
San Sebastian Staglets 2 1
LSGH Greenies 1 1
MIT Red Robins 1 2
EAC Brigadiers 0 2
UPHSD Jr. Altas 0 2
LPU Jr. Pirates 0 3
-LETRAN SQUIRES 59, MAPUA RED ROBINS 57
The Letran Squires are back on track.
Jerrick Balanza and Enrique Caunan provided the big baskets for Squires as the got past the Mapua Red Robins, 59-57, last Wednesday, July 9.
Their efforts brought the Squires to their second win in three games in the 90th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) junior basketball tournament at the FilOil-Flying V Arena in San Juan.
(Letran’s Klyve Dungan (4) moves past a screen done by Mapua’s Sherwin Concepcion (18), and as he tries to help teammate Rhayniel David (14) in harassing Mapua ball handler Laurenz Victoria)- photo taken with Panasonic Lumix FZ-200.
But, it was the 6’1 Balanza who scored in the winning basket in a game which became very close in the last two minutes.
Balanza, who led with 14 points and eight rebounds, drove past Jasper Salenga in the last 37 seconds.
Breaking a 57-all deadlock, the Squires kept possession in the ensuing play, and after Red Robin Sherwin Concepcion missed a triple.
(Tommy Gedaria (9) chasing down Mapua’s Noah Lugo).
The 6’4 Caunan, who only six points but controlled the board with 12 rebounds, then hung on to the ball as the clock winding.
His excellent ballhandling ensured that Letran will be able to bounce back from their 60-69 loss to the Lyceum Philippines University Junior Pirates.
The Squires are now in a three-way tie for third place with the defending champion San Beda Red Cubs and the San Sebastian Staglets.
(Mapua’s Michael Enriquez reacts after finding himself in a tight spot as midcourt at Letran TommyGedaria harasses him).
It will be tougher for them on Monday, July 14 when they meet the unbeaten Jose Rizal University Light Bombers.
-A TOUGH GAME, TIGHTER DEFENSE
The win was not an easy one for the Squires.
The Red Robins were ahead, 46-36, in the last 2:45 of the third, and this was courtesy of a triple from Michael Enriquez.
It turned out to be one of Enriquez’s few baskets in the game, and as the Squires began tightening their screens on him, Dennel Aguirre and Concepcion.
(Enriquez (9) gets harassed again by Gedaria (9).
The screens on the trio kept them from being very productive in the fourth, and as the Squires slowly but surely clawed their way out of a 10-point deficit.
They eventually overtook the Red Robins off Johann Rubite’s drive off Tommy Gedaria’s assist, and Klyve Dungan layup off Gedaria’s pass with 6:14 to go, 51-48.
The Red Robins later tied the match, 50-all, off Noah Lugo’s triple with 2:01 to go.
-HOW COACH JUNJIE ABLAN SEES IT
Coach Junjie Ablan said it was a job well done for the Squires.
“Kaya nakahabol kami ay dahil sa depensa, at na-limit namin si Aguirre sa second half,” remarked Ablan, who was referring to Dennel Aguirre.
Aguirre, who had 14 points with Concepcion, hit eight points in the second canto.
But as defense got tight on him, he was held to only two points in the second half.
– SBC RED CUBS 94, LPU 69
Joshua Caracut shone bright again for the San Beda Red Cubs, who brought down the Lyceum Philippines University Junior Pirates, 94-69.
He scored in double digits with Niko Abatayo, Alberto Bordeus and Evan Furaque with 20 points and hauled in nine rebounds.
Abatayo tallied 15 points and dominated the paint with 16 boards, while Abatayo and Bordeus made 14 apiece.
Furaque took charge in the first canto with seven points as the Red Cubs led, 24-19.
Bordeus hit 10 in the third as the Red Cubs moved away from a 41-38 halftime lead to 17 at the end of the third, 69-52.
-THE SCORES
First game
San Beda 94- Caracut 20, Abatayo 15, Bordeus 14, Furaque 14, Gelalao 7, Alfaro 7, Velasquez 6, Abuhijle 6, Alas 2, Etrata 2, Decapia 1.
LPU 69- Jungco 18, Santos 16, Menil 14, Cecilio 7, Agdon 6, Pere 4, Wong 2, Guadana 2, Lagman 0, Castaneda 0, Bautista 0, Glipo 0, Romanes 0, Tropicales 0.
Quarterscores: 24-19, 41-38, 69-52, 94-69.
Second Game
Letran 59- Balanza 14, Dungan 10, Gedaria 8, Ramirez 6, Caunan 6, Rubite 6, Gonzales 5, David 4, Magsino 0.
Mapua 57- Aguirre 14, Concepcion 14, Lugo 8, Cabural 8, Enriquez 7, Calderon 4, Salenga 2, Victoria 0, Russel 0, Velvez 0, Yco 0, de la Cruz 0.
Quarterscores: 18-15, 30-34, 43-48, 59-57.
Pektus Corner 