The San Sebastian Stags played without RK Ilagan, but still came away with a 94-70 smashing of the Mapua Cardinals Tuesday at the FilOil-Flying V Sports Center in San Juan.
Alvin Capobres showed the way with 21 points for the Stags, who went on to claim their third win in seven games in the 94th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.
Coach Egay Gomez was relieved with the victory and has big hopes that management committee will spare them of bigger sanctions after it was discovered that Ilagan and Letran cager Coy Galvelo played in a pocket tournament a week before the start of the season.
Capobres struck hard twice in the last 5:56 of the third quarter, fueling an 1-0 blast that broke a 43-all deadlock.
When it was over, the Stags enjoyed a 54-43 spread.
“We had tough losses. Buti na lang at nag-respond ang mga bata, even though masakit ang mga talo namin,” said Gomez.
School officials have already suspended Ilagan for the rest of the first round for his misdeed.
And this is ahead of an automatic three-game suspension that the mancom is set impose on him, aside from forfeited games that’s supposed to be handed to the team as well.
Gomez said that they are appealing the case because they never knew and were never informed of Ilagan’s case until after the Letran side opened up on his cage eligibility during their fifth game of the season.
On the other hand, Galvelo has not been fielded in by coach Jeff Napa in their last four games.
Ilagan and Galvelo were said to have played in the finals of the Taboho Cup in Quezon City, a day after the NCAA final day of eligibility screening on June 30.
Meanwhile, the solo-leading La Salle Greenhills Greenies banked on timely baskets from Batang Gilas standout RC Calimag and Joshua David to pull off an 80-71 triumph over the Lyceum Junior Pirates.
Clint Escamis, Jonnel Policarpio and Dan Archers knocked in 25, 23 and 20 points, respectively, to lead the Mapua Red Robins to an 85-77 beating of the San Sebastian Staglets.