SEA Lions brought down NAASCU champion Centro Escolar University, 78-71, in a tight and exciting contest to gain a share of the lead with Wang's Ballclub in the 2014 MBL Open basketball championship at the Lumera Tower in Legarda, Manila.
Former Globalport Batang Pier standout Angelus Raymundo scored eight of his game-high 20 points in the payoff period, including back-to-back baskets in a span of 15 seconds, to power Sea Lions of the husband and wife team of DonJem Laron and Donna Alvaran to their third straight win in the tournament supported by Smart Sports, Ironcon Builders,Dickies Underwear, PRC Couriers and Zucchero Cafe.
Ex-Air21 Express guard Egay Billones also came up big with 19 points, including a contested three-point shot from the right corner with less than a minute left that kept the hard-fighting Scorpions at bay.
Ricky Ricafuente also added a shot clock-beating three-pointer during Sea Lions' strong fourth-quarter finish.
Patrick Aquino finished with 15 points and Sonny Saber added 14 for the Scorpions who were handled by coach Yong Garcia.
The Scorpions took several double-digit leads in the first two quarters behind the hot hands of John Aranas, who scored seven points, and Oneal Arim, who added six.
But Sea Lions came charging back to take the lead in the third quarter behind the outside shooting of Billones and Raymond Maconocido and the strong inside game of Raymundo and 6-6 Cameroonian recruit Jimmy Brown.
Brown, who also saw action for La Consolacion College in the ISAA, added nine points and 10 rebounds for the Gilbert Malabanan-mentored Sea Lions.
The scores:
Sea Lions (78) -- Raymundo 20, Billones 19, Brown 9, Maconocido 7, Ricafuente 6, Villaruel 6, Reyes 6, Marquez 3, Siruma 2.
CEU (71) -- Aquino 15, Saber 14, Silverie 10, Aranas 9, Alvendia 7, Arim 6, Dizon 6, De Leon 3, Malubay 1.
Quarterscores: 15-24; 34-40; 56-54; 78-71.
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