S AT U R D AY : S E P T E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 1 5
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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph
Gilas 5 battles Kiwis again
Heavy Bombers stay on track for Final 4 slot
By Jeric Lopez
By Peter Atencio
THE Smart Gilas Pilipinas and the Wellington Saints of New Zealand meet again today, with the nationals playing right before their adoring fans in the 2015 Master Game Face MVP Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. A week after after outlasting the Kiwis in a comefrom-behind 92-88 victory in the 37th William Jones Cup in Taipei, the Filipinos take a crack at the Saints at 5 p.m., their second game in a row in the four-team, pocket tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Earlier, Talk ‘N Text clashes with Chinese Taipei in the curtain-raiser at 3 p.m. As of press time, the nationals and the Tropang Texters are going at it in an all-Filipino fight to determine which team gets a head-start in the short tournament serving as Smart Gilas final tune-up tournament before it sees action in the FIBA Asia Championship set Sept. 23. The team with the best record in the three-day tilt will win the championship and a cash prize of $25,000 in this Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas-organized event. The last time they met, the Filipinos leaned on Jayson Castro and Dondon Hontiveros’ late game heroics from the three-point area to turn back the Kiwis. Castro led the nationals with 22, while Hontiveros, who drilled in three treys down the stretch, added 21. They will be again two of the main weapons of national team coach Tab Baldwin, along with the energetic pair of Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva and a frontline led by Asi Taulava, Sonny Thoss and Ranidel De Ocampo.
THE Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers swamped the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 87-64, to remain on track for a spot in the Final Four yesterday in the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena. The Heavy Bombers got down to business early and didn’t let up until the final buzzer en route to their seventh win against six losses. John Pontejos had 21
points, Tey Teodoro added 13, while Mark Neil Cruz added 11, all in the first period, where the Bombers stormed to a 25-7 spread, right in the first quarter.
JRU coach Vergel Meneses said his wards wanted this win, especially after the University of Perpetual Help Altas scraped past the San Beda Red Lions, 88-86, late Thursday behind Bright Akhuetie late heroics. The win pushed the Altas to a share of third spot with the Arellano University Chiefs at 9-4, while dropping the Red Lions to second place at 10-3 behind the Letran Knights. “‘Yung result ng ibang game, hindi kami natutulungan. Sabi ko sa kanila, may chance pa tayo. Hu-
wag lang tayong umasa sa result ng ibang game,” said Meneses. Pontejos struck hard in the third, making 11 of his game-high 21 points to lead JRU to a 68-48 spread. The Mapua Cardinals, meanwhile, survived the Lyceum Pirates’ repeated rallies down the stretch to fashion out a 70-66 win and hike their record to 8-5. Coach Atoy Co, who was thrown out in the last five minutes for protesting a referee’s call on Allwell Oraeme after
Games Tuesday (San Juan Arena) 10 a.m. • LSGH vs JRU(jrs) 12 nn • Letran vs Mapua (jrs) 2 p.m. • CSB vs JRU (srs) 4 p.m. • Letran vs Mapua (srs)
he fouled Jean Ngugjol, watched the action in the last five minutes inside the press room. Justine Serrano had 15 points to lead the Cardinals. In the juniors’ division, Sherwin Concepcion had 33 points as the the Mapua Red Robins crushed the Lyceum Junior Pirates, 85-63, to improve to second place at 12-1.
Ateneo, NU try to rebound Games today (Mall of Asia Arena) 2 p.m. • AdU vs ADMU (Men) 4 p.m. • UE vs NU (Men)
Strong start drives Lascuña past Gialon. Tony Lascuña, shown here reading the line of his putt on No. 8, used a solid start to unnerve Zanieboy Gialon and overcome a four-stroke deficit, then steadied at the back to wrest back a two-stroke lead with a three-under 69 in the third round of the ICTSI Open Championship at Wack Wack’s East. Lascuña, who led in the opener of the P3.5 million event with a 71 but bogeyed the final hole on No. 9 for a 72 at the completion of the weather-suspended second round play early yesterday, birdied Nos. 2 and 3 to erase what had appeared to be a big four-shot lead set by Gialon behind a 67 Thursday, then birdied No. 15 to finish with a 69 and a 54-hole aggregate of four-under 212.
Fajardo, Abueva to be honored by pro league scribes SAN Miguel Beer big man June Mar Fajardo and Alaska’s flamboyant forward Calvin Abueva, two of the brightest stars to come out of the 2012 draft class, share center stage when the Philippine Basketball Association Press Corps pays tribute to the league’s top athletes in its annual Awards Night next week at the Century Park Hotel. Only in his third season as a pro, the 6’10” Fajardo has emerged as a formidable frontcourt force, making him the hands-down choice for the Gerry’s Grill-Defensive Player of the Year award during the Sept. 16 celebration.
The former University of Cebu star went on to finish the season with a career-high 17.4 points, to go along with league-best numbers of 12.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. More importantly, the pride of Pinamungahan, Cebu served as the force behind San Miguel’s championship conquests after ruling last season’s Philippine Cup and Governors Cup, respectively. His overpowering performance all season long culminated with a second straight MVP trophy. On the other hand, Abueva, the 2013 Rookie of the Year, was named Mr. Quality Minutes
for providing the much-needed spark for Alaska, which finished the 40th season with a pair of runner-up finishes in the allFilipino conference and Governors Cup. In 57 games last season, the ‘Beast’ averaged a new careermark of 12.8 points, along with 8.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in just under 23 minutes of action, mostly off the bench. Highlighting the annual event is the presentation of the Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan Coach of the Year award, named after the legendary Crispa Redmanizers mentor dubbed as ‘The Maestro.’ Other major awards to be
handed out are the Danny Floro Executive of the Year award, a tribute to the late team manager of the legendary Crispa franchise, along with the William ‘Bogs’ Adornado Comeback Player of the Year award held in honor of the former three-time league MVP. PBA Press Corps president Barry Pascua of Bandera expects the league’s top honchos led by new president and Chief Executive Officer Chito Salud and commissioner Chito Narvasa, along with incoming chairman Robert Non and members of the board to join the two-hour long celebration.
DEFENDING champion National University and Ateneo will both try to pick up the pieces after losing their opening matches when they take on separate opponents at the resumption of 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The NU Bulldogs, who dropped a close 63-67 decision to the La Salle Green Archers, take on the University of the East Warriors at 4 p.m., while the Blue Eagles, who lost miserably, 64-88, to the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, clash with the Adamson Falcons earlier at 2 p.m. In the loss against the Green Archers, the Bulldogs’ lategame rally fizzled out when big man Alfred Aroga fouled out, which is something that coach Eric Altamirano said they need to address. Aroga fouled out with 1:03 left in the game, leaving the Bulldogs without a big man to battle the La Salle biggies. “Everytime he’s on the bench, that’s when the lead ballooned. So that’s one thing we have to address,” Altamiano said. NU will also need steady performances from the returnig Jeoff Javillonar and rookie Reggie Morido, who had taken over the spots left by recent graduates Troy Rosario and Glenn Khobuntin. The Warriors, meanwhile, will meet the Bulldogs for the first time since their painful 49-51 loss in a playoff for the final semifinal berth last year. UE is coming off a loss to surprise solo leader University of the Philippines, 55-62, on opening day. Peter Atencio