The most interesting game in today’s edition of the 2013 Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup yesterday at the San Juan Arena was not even a Seniors game, but a game in the Juniors division between the Zobel Junior Archers and the Mapua Red Robins. What made it very interesting? Oh I don’t know maybe the fact that punches were thrown, six guys were thrown out, and three guys suspended. Basketball – more fun in the Philippines!
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| Not even Kiefer Ravena's offensive juggernaut could upstage what happend between Zobel and Mapua. |
In the first game, the Letran Knights dominated in the second half on their way to upending the stacked NU Bullpups, who were finalists in last season’s UAAP Juniors tournament, 80-67. Burly big man Ivan Villanueva was unstoppable with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists, while frontcourt mate Gerdy Alacre poured in 18 points, hauled down 17 rebounds, and blocked 5 shots. Milo Castro took control of the outside shooting with 14 points on the strength of 4 treys. NU was led by RP-Youth player Hubert Cani’s 18 points, while undersized center Mark Dyke registered 11 markers and 14 boards. Letran went up to 2-0 while NU sank to 1-1.
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| Gerdy Alacre tries a fadeaway J. |
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| Hubert Cani hits a runner over the Letran D. |
The second game saw Mapua/Malayan’s Ronnel Villasenor get hot from long range, but it also saw a couple of players get hot-headed in the last minute of the match. Villasenor’s 4-of-6 3-point shooting, on his way to scoring 21 points, was overshadowed by the melee between Dainiel Aguirre of the Red Robins and Jose Maldinger of the Junior Archers. It was not clear who started the fisticuffs, but both guys were already being very physical with each other throughout the match. As far as I can remember, no warnings were given by the referees, much to the ire of the coaches and parents on both sides. Some Zobel players entered the court from the bench, while another Mapua player tried to join the fracas, so several penalties were meted out. In the end, both Aguirre and Maldinger were throw out along with Mapua’s Noah Lugo – easily the Robins’ best playmaker – and Zobel’s Gian Abanilla (son of DLSU head coach Gee Abanilla, who was watching), Emilio Tuason, and Kyle Quintos. Aguirre, Lugo, and Maldinger will all sit out their respective teams’ next game. At that point, Mapua was up by 8 points with around a minute to go, but Zobel was awarded, strangely enough, with FOUR free throws and ball possession. The Greenies made just 2-of-4 freebies, were fouled in the ensuing possession, and missed both of those free throws as well. In the end, Mapua held on to win, 79-73. Lugo had 18 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, while Zobel was led by Maldinger and back-up PG Jerry Vizmonte, both of whom combined for 22 points. The Junior Archers were visibly tentative for most of the match, with sophomore Aljun Melecio the designated floor general. Coach Boris Aldeguer’s Greenies were missing the services of key players Renzo Subido (Palarong Pambansa), Alec Saubier, and Aleck Melecio.
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| Ronnel Villasenor waxed hot from deep. |
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| Jerry Vizmonte stepped up off the bench. |
In the third game, Melvin Holper caught fire from long range at just the right time to help the Southwestern University Cobras notch their first Filoil win at the expense of the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates, 74-64. Holper finished with a team-high 13 points, while Landry Sanjo registered a double-double line – 11 points and 15 rebounds. The Pirates, who trailed practically the whole game, were spearheaded by Shane Ko’s 21 markers and 6 boards.
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| Melvin Holper was money in the late game. |
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| Shane Ko led the way for the Pirates. |
The fourth game featured a closer-than-expected encounter between the NU Bulldogs and the CSB Blazers. NU, which won during the tourney’s opening weekend over the San Beda Red Lions, had to scramble in the fourth period to pull this one out, 70-67. Ray Parks and Troy Rosario led coach Eric Altamirano’s unit with 15 and 14 points respectively. Parks flirted with a triple-double by adding 9 rebounds and 7 assists to his final tally. Alfred Aroga and Denice Villamor also broke through double-digits with 10 points apiece. The upstart Blazers, meanwhile, enjoyed the 22-point explosion of the masked Mark Romero, while former Ateneo Blue Eaglet Luis Sinco added a dozen markers and 3 assists. NU moved up to 2-0 while this is the Blazers’ maiden loss in the summer league.
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| Troy Rosario goes up for the easy two. |
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| Mark Romero's facemask didn't seem to hinder his offense. |
The last match of the day saw the Ateneo Blue Eagles claw their way to a fifth victory after disposing of the much-improved UE Red Warriors, 77-72. Once again, it was Kiefer Ravena who filled the stat sheet – 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists – but it was the continued hot shooting of Von Pessumal that really turned heads. Pessumal, who has played alongside Ravena ever since their Milo SBP days (Grade 6 and after, of course), drained 5 of his 7 three-point attempts en route to 19 points in just 22 minutes. With the departure of Oping Sumalinog and Tonino Gonzaga, it is expected that Pessumal will see a significant rise in playing time and, so far, he has seized the opportunity to contribute more. Nico Elorde also did well with 14 markers, while Chris Newsome pulled down 13 rebounds against a taller crimson frontcourt. For its part, UE was led by Roi Sumang’s 18 points, 6 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals, while transferee Charles Mammie, who has finished his residency, dropped 12 points and got 6 caroms. This loss lowered UE’s slate to 1-1. It was also, if I am not mistaken, UE’s first defeat at the hands of Ateneo since the first round of UAAP Season 75.
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| Nico Elorde finds the going tough agains UE's Charles Mammie. |
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| Von Pessumal showed much-improved shooting from rainbow country. |
Box Scores:
Juniors
CSJL 80 – Villanueva 23, Alacre 18, Castro 14, Balanza 8, Gonzales 7, Sazon 6, Cabrillos 4, Villasis 0, Marasigan 0, Ramirez 0
NU 67 – Cani 18, Dyke 11, Mosqueda 10, Battad 8, Grealy 5, Go 4, Cauilan 4, Manalang 4, Castillo 3, Claveria 0, Gozum 0, Lopena 0
QS: 13-20, 33-33, 56-53, 80-67
MIT 79 – Villasenor 21, Lugo 18, Aguirre 11, Cabural 7, Velvez 7, Magpayo 7, Russel 5, Pascua 2, Mumar 1, Calseron 0, Victoria 0
DLSZ 73 – Maldinger 12, Vizmonte 10, Paraiso 9, Banzon 7, Abanilla 7, Sajulga 6, Cabarruz 6, Tuason 5, Romero 4, Melecio 3, Quintos 2, Castro 2, Perez 0
QS: 21-17, 41-38, 66-54, 79-73
Seniors
SWU 74 – Holper 13, Sanjo 11, Arong 11, Bautista 6, Panerio 6, Siewe 6, Otida 6, Bregondo 5, Mohammed 4, Ortega 3, Goloran 3, Pajantoy 0
LPU 64 – Ko 21, Zamora 15, Lesmora 9, Mendoza 4, Taladua 4, Azores 3, Edora 3, Francisco 2, Evangelista 2, Soliman 1, Garcia 0, Fabian 0, Lacaste Santos 0, Alanes 0, Ambohot 0
QS: 15-15, 34-24, 51-45, 74-64
NU 70 – Parks 15, Rosario 14, Aroga 10, Villamor 10, Javelona 5, Roño 5, Alejandro 5, Javillonar 4, De Guzman 2, Neypes 0
CSB 67 – Romero 22, Sinco 12, Saavedra 9, Grey 7, Garcia 6, Ongtengco 4, Taha 4, Argamino 3, Bartolo 0, Deles 0, Nayve 0, Castor 0
QS: 22-17, 38-29, 52-44, 70-67
AdMU 77 – Ravena 23, Pessumal, 19, Elorde 14, Golla 8, Newsome 6, Murphy 3, Tiongson 2, Tolentino 2, Asistio 0, Lim 0, Babilonia 0
UE 72 – Sumang 18, Mammie 12, Noble 8, Jumao-as 7, Javier 6, Bonleon 5, Santos 4, Casajeros 4, Olivarez 4, Guion 2, Flores 2, Sumido 0
QS: 15-15, 43-37, 58-61, 77-72
All images are by Raffy Dela Peña/Filoil Flying V Sports.
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