LNU Dukes bag first game
PRISAA-UCAAP FINALS
DEFENDING champion Lyceum Northwestern University Dukes proved their superiority anew in the first game for the championship crown of the 2010 PRISAA-UCAAP Inter-Collegiate Basketball Championship by subduing arch-rival University of Luzon Golden Tigers, 71-61.
The Dukes, which beat the Tigers twice in-a-row during the elimination and the quarterfinals, trailed the Tigers in the first two quarters, 10-11 and 44-46, then countered in the third period to wrest the front with a precarious lead of two points, 50-48, with only three of its veteran players Michael Indoy, Lennel Manalo, Benjie Labitoria and seldom-used Roden Marsh Padua and John Paul Cabucol doing the blast.
The Dukes’ resolute defense and offensive rebounds with conversions paved the way for a 13-4 blitz in the fourth and final period, led by Cabucol who contributed seven points and Lyod Quisay with five.
Dukes coach Jason Vinluan said, “Despite defeating them twice during the elimination and quarterfinal rounds, we’re not over confident and in fact we intensified our training so we could dictate the tempo.”
“We’ll still work hard, be prepared and hopefully we could clinch the title on Monday,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tigers head coach Renato Vidal said, “We were killed by their second-five players in the end game plus some bum calls by the referees… but hopefully we’ll do better in the second game.”
Bolinao son Indoy had a team high 15 points. Quisay and Labitoria banged in 11 points each. Cabucol and Antonio Mejia contributed nine points apiece.
Only two of Tigers’ dribblers came in double figures with reliable scorer Jonathan Panunciar making a game high 29 points, nine of them done beyond the rainbow line. Joshua Gutierrez contributed 10.
BATTLE FOR 3RD
In the battle for third place, the University of Pangasinan-PHINMA Flames once again tamed the Colegio de Dagupan Blue Stallions, 81-64, to clinch the second runner-up plum.
Marlon Ramos paced the Flames with a game high 27 points. Gian Cruz pumped in 15 points and rare utilized Ben John Lazo contributed 14. The Stallions was led by Kevin de Luna with 12 points. Eugene Perez had 11.
The second game between the Dukes and Tigers is set on September 20 at 2:00 p.m. at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome.–JAG, Jr.
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