Centro Escolar University completed a sweep of Group B by walloping Philippine School of Business Administration-QC, 100-63, as the Scorpions primed themselves up for the playoffs where they will be the No.1 seed in the NCRAA men’s basketball tournament at the Pasig Catholic College.
CEU used a hobbled Rich Guinitaran sparingly as the reigning NCRAA scoring champion played in just 13 minutes. The Scorpions were hardly affected as other players were able to step up, such as Judel Ric Fuentes, Joshua Abastillas and Kobe Caballero.
Fuentes came away with 18 points, while Abastillas had a double-double effort of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Caballero knocked in all of his 13 points in the second period as the Scorpions ended the elimination round campaign with a 7-0 record.
Orphaned by its head coach who got ejected in the game and the disqualification of five key players, De Ocampo Memorial College relied on its experience to pull off a tough 89-87 triumph over host team Pasig Catholic College.
Coach Ronnie Dojillo was slapped with two technical fouls leading to his ejection in the early part of the final period after vehemently protesting the fifth and last foul called on team captain Peter Marc Manalang.
Without their head coach, the Cobras gathered together and came up with an inspired collective effort to get the job done. They were able to do that despite losing key platers Manalang, Jhonard Clarito, Reynold Artesano and two other teammates.
A total of 66 fouls were called in the tough, bruising encounter.
The Cobras unloaded 10 unanswered points capped by Artesano’s triple. Lescano’s steal, completed with a lay up at the other end gave the Cobras an 87-81 lead with 1:43 left in the match.
With DOMC, last season’s runner-up, notching its fifth win in seven games, the team moved into a tie with PATTS College of Aeronautics at 5-2. By virtue of the win over the other rule, the Cobras will assume the second spot of Group B.”‹