UL Golden Tigers are champs again!
PRISAA-UCAAP BASKETBALL
DOWNED but not out in the first game, the University of Luzon Golden Tigers refused to give up and won the second clash against defending champion Lyceum Northwestern University Dukes in a convincing 75-66 victory on Monday, forcing a third and decisive match Wednesday, where the team again clobbered LNU, 93-75.
The Golden Tigers’ victory gave them back the PRISAA-UCAAP Inter-Collegiate Basketball Championship crown, which they won in 2008.
Leading by five points in the first quarter, 22-17, and trailed by two in the second period, 39-41, the Golden Tigers played with a lot of energy in the last two junctures, applying a run-and-gun game where they delivered a 16-3 salvo in the third period to regain the lead with playmaker Jonathan Panunciar and rookie Joshua Gutierrez rattling the offensive plays.
The Golden Tigers’ zone-defense also confused their opponents, especially at the homestretch, forcing the Dukes to commit numerous miscues that added to their humbling defeat.
“History repeats itself because this also happened ten years ago,” said Golden Tigers coach Renato Vidal.
“We took advantage of my boys’ quickness and that stunned them somewhat. We executed our game plan well offensively and defensively, kept on fighting until we got the big breaks and I have to give that credit to all my boys,” Vidal said.
Meanwhile, Dukes coach Jason Vinluan said, “My boys came out a little soft and the Tigers were able to take advantage of that,” adding, “We broke their zone-defense early but collapsed in the end. Talagang sa kanila ang laro.”
Only two Golden Tigers’ dribblers came in double figures, but the points were delivered when it mattered most. Panunciar scored a game high 30 points, half of them from the three-point area while Gutierrez contributed 29 points, 12 of them beyond the arc.
On the losing side, forward Michael Indoy had a team high 21 points. Labitoria banged in 15 while Lennel Manalo and Antonio Mejia contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Golden Tigers of Dagupan City alderman Chito Samson will represent defending champion Dagupan in the coming 2010 Region 1 PRISAA Meet slated October 26-30 in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.–JAG, Jr.
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