FEU-Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation made it four wins in a row, taking down defending champion Macway Travel Club, 72-65, on Monday in the 2016 MBL Open at the Trinity University of Asia gym in Quezon City.
Fil-Canadian Clay Crellin and veterans Egay Billones and Rene Boy Banzali provided the clutch baskets for FEU-NRMF.
Crellin, a 6-foot-4 Fil-Canadian who played forward for the Vancouver Balloholics, scored 13 points highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers in the third quarter.
Billones and Banzali added 10 points apiece.
Cameroonian import Moustapha Arafat contributed eight points while holding his own against American reinforcement Mike Harry and former PBA player E.J. Feihl of Macway
Jeff Sanders was the topscorer for Macway with 15 points, nine in the fourth period.
Harry and ex-PBA player Nino Marquez contributed 14 points apiece.
Marquez had 11 points in the first half, which ended at 38-all.
EAC rallied to beat Philippine Air Force, 74-70,with Jethro Mendoza scoring nine of his 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Generals rallied from a seven-point deficit to frustrate the Jet Force.
Air Force had several chances to salvage the win but made consecutive misses from point-blank range in the closing seconds.
Juju Bautista scored 16 points for EAC, while Jeric Diego and Mendoza added 14 each.
Ranimark Tano had 15 points and Paulino Rebollos scored 10 for Air Force. The tournament is backed by Smart Sports, Ironcon Builders, Star Bread, Dickies Underwear and Gerry's Grill.
The scores:
First game
EAC 74 — Bautista 16, Diego 14, J. Mendoza 14, Bugarin 9, Gonzales 4, Aguas 4, Gano 4, N. Mendoza 2, Altiche 2, Aderes 2, Estacio 2, Martin 1, Cayabo 0, Umali 0.
Air Force 70 — Tano 15, Rebollos 10, Diwa 9, Regalado 8, Lumongsod 7, Morales 6, Cordero 6, Valdevilla 5, Malig-on 2, Almerol 2, Amparo 0, Cuasa 0, Pinto 0.
Quarterscores: 13-15; 33-32; 51-58; 74-70.
Second game
FEU-NRMF 72 — Crellin 13, Billones 10, Banzali 10, Cabrera 9, Manalo 9, Arafat 8, Zamora 7, Asoro 4, Gabayni 2, Raymundo 0, Camacho 0.
Macway 65 — Sanders 15, Harry 14, Marquez 14, Santiago 6, Natividad 5, Custodio 4, Rodriguez 4, Feihl 2, Brown 1, Dedicatoria 0, Sta. Cruz 0, Mangaran 0, Laude 0.
Quarterscores: 18-19; 38-38; 62-56; 72-65.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
