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Thu 28 March 2024

Miracle on San Juan Day: LPU upsets San Beda

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Heavy Bombers spoil Atoy Co’s NCAA coaching debut

(FCF / Ken Koo)

JRU guard Paolo Pontejos drives against the defense of MIT guards Andrew Estrella and Carlos Isit in Monday’s NCAA Season 89 seniors basketball games. (FCF / Ken Koo)

When everyone thought it was a massacre before the match even tipped off, the boys of Coach Bonnie Tan willed themselves to prove doubters otherwise.

Behind the brillance of third year guard Shane Ko, Lyceum of the Philippines claimed a statement victory over three-time defending champions San Beda College in their NCAA Season 89 debut on Monday at The Arena in San Juan.

Knowing that they had a tough task at hand against the powerhouse squad favored yet again to win it all, the entire team did everything it took to make sure they got the win.

“For the past ilang weeks na sina-sacrifice namin pagkatapos ng Filoil…we stayed together. Nasa isang bahay kami, pati cellphone wala,” recalled LPU head coach Bonnie Tan.

“All the hardwork, pag-tinrabauhan mo, walang mawawala sa iyo. Good things will happen sa effort na binibigay nila.”

The Pirates jumped the gun early in the game on the battle-weary Red Lions, who are still fresh from a scintillating opening day matchup against hosts Benilde, to set the tone for the entire game and did not relinquish the lead in the second half.

Though the game seemed beyond reach by the two minute warning, the Red Lions battled back with an 10-2 run led by the efforts Ryusei Koga, who scored four of his eight points during the stretch, to cut down their deficit to just two points.

With the game hanging in the balance, Baser Amer had a wide-open shot from beyond the arc that just rimmed out with less than 10 seconds left to seal their fate.

Amer led the charge with 18 points for the Red Lions.

Heavy Bombers from long range pummel Cardinals

In the shade of former streak shooting guard Nate Matute, Philip Paniamogan and Paolo Pontejos filled up the scoring void to lead Jose Rizal University past Mapua Institute of Technology, 83-72, in the first game of the day’s seniors hoops twinbill.

Sophomore two-guard Paniamogan buried three of his seven treys during the fourth quarter stretch, en route to his 24 point performance to close out the match.

Pontejos, a former member of the Red Lions who last suited up in Season 87, made his presence felt early, scoring 10 of his 18 during the early part of the game to get the ball rolling on a 12-2 surge.

Down by as much as 20, the Cardinals made their move midway through the third period and started a 23-7 surge led by captain Kenneth Ighalo, who scored a pair of treys to cap the run and end the third with a 62-60 advantage.

However, Paniamogan came alive to rebuild the lead and never looked back.

Ighalo led the way for Mapua with 22 points, including a 5-for-10 shooting clip from three-point range, and 11 rebounds. Joseph Eriobu and Mark Brana each had 11 in the loss that served as a rude welcome to newly installed head coach Fortunato “Atoy” Co, Jr.


BOX SCORES
First game
JOSE RIZAL (83): Paniamogan 24, Pontejos 18, Dela Paz 10, Mabulac 10, Abanto 8, Balagtas 4, Sanchez 4, Juanico 3, Lasquety 2, Salaveria 0, Grospe 0
MAPUA (72): Ighalo 22, Eriobu 11, Brana 11, Saitanan 10, Estrella 9, Cantos 5, Isit 2, Magsigay 2, Gabo 0
QUARTERS: 26-14, 43-33, 60-62, 83-72

Second game
LYCEUM (70): Ko 23, Zamora 9, Taladua 7, Mbomiko 6, Azores 6, Mendoza 6, Baltazar 6, Ambohot 4, Francisco 3, Evangelista 0, Alanes 0, Garcia 0, Lesmoras 0
SAN BEDA (66): Amer 18, Adeogun 11, Abarcar 9, Koga 8, Dela Cruz 8, A. Semerad 5, D. Semerad 3, Dela Rosa 2, Villaruz 2, Mendoza 0, Bonsubre 0, Pascual 0, Ludovice 0
QUARTERS: 18-22, 35-28, 56-48, 70-66



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