UL Golden Tigers take top spot
PRISAA-UCAAP heads for semis
AS the 2010 PRISAA-UCAAP Inter-Collegiate Basketball Championship heads into the semifinal round, the University of Luzon is at the top of the league with a 10-win, 1-loss card while the defending champion, Lyceum Northwestern University comes in second.
The Golden Tigers subdued the Colegio de Dagupan Blue Stallions, 79-75 in their last game on September 2 while the LNU Dukes suffered a shocking defeat against Pangasinan-PHINMA Flames, 87-90 on the same day.
The Tigers stalked in the first two quarters of the match, 16-20, 35-37, but drew power in the third to lead by five, 64-59, and finished the contest four points ahead.
“Our defense was weak in the first three quarters but luckily we got the breaks in the fourth and final period and that made the disparity of the game, said Tigers head coach Renato Vidal, adding, “Hopefully we’ll still improve in our coming games.”
The Tigers collide with the Dukes on Monday, September 6.
The winner of that game will take the number one spot for the semifinals, securing the twice-to-beat-advantage and will face fourth placer Stallions on September 9. The loser on Monday’s game clinches the second position and also notches the twice-to-beat-advantage clashing with third placer the Flames on the same date.
Flames’ victory was paced by its court-general Marlon Ramos, contributing a team high 27 points. Slotman Gian Cruz had 18 and Bryan Agulan who was fouled out in the fourth quarter contributed 15.
“We always do our best in every game not only to win but to please the paying public so their money is worth for and that’s all I can say now,” said Flames head coach Jay Ronquillo before leaving the hardcourt.
MAJOR UPSET
Last August 31, the Golden Tigers scored their second in-a-row victory on Tuesday over arch-foe University of Pangasinan-PHINMA Flames, 73-72.
The Tigers tamed the Flames during their first encounter in the elimination round.
The regional multi-titled Tigers, who escaped a narrow victory at 80-78 over cellar team AIE-C on August 23, fielded its veterans Harold Deocares, Jonathan Panunciar, Larry John Balmes and Ramil Baniqued most of the time and the four worked hard to combine a total of 66 points.
‘GARBAGE SHOT’
The Flames, taking the first two quarters by two and four points,18-16,34-30, respectively, succumbed in the third quarter by five points, 51-46, after a buzzer-beater ‘garbage shot’ thrown by its forward Erwin Cervas beyond the court’s half-line was nullified by the time-keeper.
The call fumed coach Jay Ronquillo, who would later claim that “We should have won the match if the time-keeper counted that ‘garbage shot’ by Cervas.”
The Tigers later led by five points, 73-68, after Deocares converted a trey with 17 seconds remaining in the fourth and final period. But Flames center Allan Roquin immediately countered with a shot, putting the game within the reach, 73-71.
With eight ticks left, the Tigers made a wrong pass and the Flames’ Bryan Agulan was fouled, but he unfortunately split his two free throws, trimming the score to 73-72. Panunciar was immediately fouled after the in-bound and he could have sealed the match had he not misfired his two free throws, four seconds left, keeping the Flames in contention. Flames forward-center Gian Cruz controlled the board but threw a long pass to Agulan until the final buzzer sounded.
Defending champions Dukes edged PAMMA, 73-71, in the no-bearing last match of the day. –JAGJr.
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