SAMBOY De Leon scored 25 points, including six triples, as Centro Escolar University completed a sweep of its elimination round assignments with a 73-62 victory over San Sebastian College on Monday in the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup at The Arena in San Juan.
Joseph Sedurifa also connected on three triples, finishing with 19 points for the Scorpions, unbeaten in six matches.
NCAA champion San Beda and Far Eastern University are the other undefeated teams in the tournament with the Red Lions and Tamaraws set to clash in a Group B match on Saturday.
“The boys really love to win,” said CEU coach Egay Macaraya, who completed the sweep at the expense of his alma mater San Sebastian.
“I know they are pressured about the standings because it’s like (a) Cinderella (run) and it’s a dream come true. This is a very big win for us,” Macaraya added.
Sedurifa scored five points, including a triple, in an 11-0 run by the Scorpions that turned a 37-40 deficit into a 48-40 lead in the third period.
De Leon added three triples in the fourth quarter, the final trey making it 70-57 lead with 1:37 left, to preserve the win for the Naascu side.
With the sweep, CEU will place no lower than second-seed in the quarterfinal round.
“Quarterfinals is a different ballgame,” Macaraya said.
The Stags dropped to 2-4.
The scores:
CEU (73) – De Leon 25, Sedurifa 19, Ebondo 13, Batino 6, Abundo 5, Opiso 3, Casino 2, Jeruta 0, Mutombo 0, Amil 0, Anunciacion 0, Banua 0.
San Sebastian (62) – Perez 17, Ortouste 10, Tano 7, Dela Cruz 6, Fabian 6, Calisaan 5, Aquino 3, Santos 3, Guinto 2, Balucanag 2, Yong 1, Costelo 0, Mamaril 0, Camasura 0, Alvarez 0.
Quarterscores: 14-18; 31-32; 50-42; 73-62.
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