WANGS Basketball @26-Letran survived a game challenge from Adalem Construction-St. Clare, 94-87, in an auspicious start to its 2022 PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup campaign on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
King Caralipio drilled in the game-sealing left corner three with 47.0 seconds left to make it a 91-85 affair after the Knights saw their 23-point lead sliced down to just three, 88-85, with 57.1 seconds remaining.
Championship experience counts
"Yung championship composure, yun yung need naming ilabas sa ganitong klaseng game. Yun lang ang napagusapan ng team, na let's be composed," said coach Bonnie Tan.
Louie Sangalang paced Wangs-Letran with 21 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, while Kobe Monje stepped up with his 17 points and six boards.
Caralipio poured 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals; Tommy Olivario got 12 points, seven assists, four boards, and two steals, and Brent Paraiso rounded out the balanced attack of the Knights with his 12 points, eight dimes, and four rebounds before fouling out with 1:42 left to play.
"St. Clare gave us a good fight and we learned a lot from this game," said Tan, whose side missed the services of NCAA MVP Rhenz Abando and Fran Yu.
Edcel Rojas paced the Saints with 25 points and four boards, as NAASCU MVP Johnsherick Estrada got 22 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in the loss.
The scores:
WANGS-LETRAN 94 - Sangalang 21, Monje 17, Olivario 12, Paraiso 12, Caralipio 12, Javillonar 6, Tolentino 6, Guarino 6, Bataller 2, Lantaya 0.
ADALEM-ST. CLARE 87 - Rojas 25, Estrada 22, Sumagaysay 19, Sablan 7, Tapenio 5, Estacio 5, Gamboa 4, Lopez 0, Acosta 0.
Quarters: 29-20, 51-38, 72-65, 94-87.
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