ROUTS marked the Universities and Colleges Basketball League Season 3 yesterday as former champion Centro Escolar University and Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas nailed their first wins at the Olivarez College gym in Parañaque City.
PCU crushed St. Joseph College of Bulacan, 108-74, for its first win in four games.
The CEU Scorpions, on the other hand, leaned on the red-hot shooting of Pierce Chan and Rich Guinitaran and the powerful inside plays of the 6-foot-11 Maodo Malick Diouf in the second quarter to beat the Diliman College Blue Dragons, 88-61.
Protecting a slim 20-17 lead, the Scorpions outscored the Blue Dragons, 24-9, in the second frame to take full control of the game that enabled them to redeem themselves from a shock 86-83 defeat to Olivarez College in the opener.
The Scorpions were so dominant they practically settled the result with still one quarter remaining as they roared to a 70-45 advantage.
Guinitaran finished with 18 points, Diouf had 18 and Chan scored 14.
With Vincent Remalocia, Omar Mangadan and Fil-Aussie Laurents Paluoja at the helm, the Dolphins took a 52-36 halftime lead.
The SJC dribblers suffered their second straight defeat.
Remalocia scattered 24 points on an impressive 8-of-11 shooting aside from tallying nine rebounds and seven assists.
Four other PCU players scored in double figures with Mangadan and Paluoya banging in 13 and 12 points, respectively, in the tournament backed by CaféFrance, Yakult, Gerry’s Grill, Hapee Toothpaste, MaxSell Power Tool and Tough Mama Home and Kitchen Appliances, Tanduay Athletics and Toyota Motor Philippines.
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