BY Gwen Bergado
NU-NAZARETH School stayed spotless in dominant fashion, dropping a 56-point hammer on hapless University of the Philippines Integrated School, 90-34, Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Reigning MVP Collins Akowe pounded in 21 points and 16 rebounds, posting a double-double for the fifth time in as many games in the UAAP Season 87 boys' basketball tournament, as Migs Palanca and Mac Alfanta flanked him with 13 and 12 markers, respectively.
Just the three of them would have outscored all of the Jr. Maroons who had no answers whatsoever right from tip-off.
The Bullpups owned the paint where they got 62 of their output, as well as the boards where they claimed a massive 51-23 advantage, enabling them to get ahead by as far as 56 points en route to a 5-0 start to the season.
Welcoming a much-needed win to its title defense, meanwhile, is Adamson which rode Mark Esperanza past Ateneo, 56-52.
Esperanza finished one assist shy of a triple-double with 25 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, with 13 of his markers coming in the first half to make sure the Baby Falcons dug themselves out of a 0-11 hole.
“It’s a hard-earned victory for us. At least, na-arrest namin yung skid namin at sana, dire-diretso na,” quipped head coach Mike Fermin, as the defending champions got back up from two straight defeats and improved to 2-3.
Ateneo and UPIS both sunk to 0-5, with Jay-M Leal leading the Blue Eagles with 11 markers and 11 rebounds, while the Jr. Maroons had no player breaching double-figures.
Right behind you, NUNS
While NUNS continues to set the pace, two teams are breathing down its neck following contrasting wins.
University of Santo Tomas flexed its defensive muscle to make quick work of Kieffer Alas and De La Salle Zobel, 82-67.
Senegalese big Racine Kane continued his recent tear with a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Joaqui Ludovice and Koji Buenaflor contributed 15 and 12 markers, respectively, in the Tiger Cubs' fourth consecutive victory following a tournament-opening loss.
It was defense, though, that powered UST to joint second, as it stifled the Jr. Archers to recording just a single three-pointer out of 15 attempts all throughout.
Much of the defensive focus was on Alas, who still had 16 points on top of six rebounds and five assists, but went 3-of-13 from the field, as DLSZ slid down to 3-2 in the standings.
Also at 4-1 is Far Eastern University-Diliman which scored back-to-back wins courtesy of a 97-95 decision in double-overtime against University of the East.
Cabs Cabonilas tallied a triple-double of 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists, but it was Jheremy Godoy's clutch trey in the dying seconds of the second extra period that proved to be the difference, as he wound up with eight points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Cabonilas fronted the Baby Tamaraws' charge to an 18-point edge in the final frame, but the Jr. Warriors battled all the way back into a tied score at the end of regulation.
In the first overtime, UE was still riding its momentum until Cabonilas and Godoys' heroics lifted FEU-Diliman to victory for good.
Edry Alejandro top-scored the now-2-3 Jr. Warriors with 24 points and 21 boards, as Lance Sabroso and Xedric Diaz churned out 14 points apiece.
The scores:
First Game
ADAMSON 56 — Esperanza 25, De Jesus 10, Artango 6, Perez 6, Medina 5, Penafiel 3, Decatoria 1, Murillo 0, Umali 0, Tumaneng 0, Jenodia 0, Sajili 0
ATENEO 52— Urbina 11, Leal 11, Delos Santos 10, Gatmaitan 8, Espinas 3, Tan 3, Asistio 3, Aquino 2, Ymasa 1, Lagdamen 0, Reyes 0, Lacsamana 0, Kallos 0
Quarters: 14-17, 36-26, 48-42, 56-52
Second Game
NUNS 90— Akowe 21, Palanca 13, Alfanta 12, Figueroa 11, Locsin 6, Lucido 6, Usop 5, Natinga 5, Nepacena 4, Cartel 3, Matias 2, Bouzina 2, Pillado 0, Napa 0, Casala 0
UPIS 34— Tubongbanua 9, Melicor 9, Gomez de Liaño 4, Hallare 3, Coronel 3, Egea 2, Poquiz 2, Gapitan 2, Uvero 0, Cobico 0, Mariano 0, Rosete 0, Hernandez 0, Pascual 0
Quarters: 20-7, 46-14, 65-26, 90-34
Third Game
FEU 97— Cabonilas 23, Burgos 19, Salangsang 16, Pascual 15, Godoy 8, Raneses 8, Gemao 6, Castillejos 2, De Guzman 0, Hall 0, Maierhofer 0
UE 95— Alejandro 24, Sabroso 14, Diaz 14, Aguas 11, Bual 7, Lorenzo 6, Chua 4, Bana 4, Almanza 3, Lagat 3, Timbol 3, Cuevas 2
Quarters: 18-11, 43-29, 65-52, 75-75, 85-85, 97-95
Fourth Game
UST 82— Kane 16, Ludovice 15, Buenaflor 12, Canete 9, Solon 6, Acido 4, Bucsit 4, Esteban 4, Manding 4, Catalan 4, Bohol 2, Javier 2, Vidanes 0, Cinco 0, Bandingan 0
DLSZ 67— Alas 16, Dabao 15, Mben 11, Daja 7, Espinosa 7, Arejola 4, Atienza 4, Alpapara 3, Favis 0, Borrero 0, Tailan 0, Gubat 0
Quarters: 27-11, 44-30, 65-46, 82-67
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