Hoop It Up and USC nail second straight victories

Hoop It Up and the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors rolled to their second straight win in as many starts in the MLSDF-backed 5th ML Kwarta Padala Cup Under-21 Basketball Tournament over the weekend at the Consolacion Sports Complex.

Hoop It Up walked away with a close 75-71 win over the equally-tough Athletes for Christ in Excellent Service (ACES), while the USC Baby Warriors escaped with a 51-48 thriller over the Consolacion LGU Sarok in the other nerve-tingling match.

Hoop It Up of coach Marvin Felicis led only by a matchstick at halftime, 31-30, but dropped a 22-11 bomb in the third period to mount a dozen-point advantage, 53-41, entering the last 10-minute zone of the game, 53-43.

The ACES side staged a spirited resistance at the endgame, but Hoop It Up delivered when it mattered most to hang on to a four-point triumph.

Earlier, USC and Consolacion LGU Sarok engaged in a hill-to-hill battle, but the Baby Warriors hit crucial plays and rode on lucky breaks in the closing minutes to seal the match.

The scores

Hoop It Up (75) - Yncierto 22, Abia 16, Anagap 15, Resalla 8, Caballero 6, Cañete 4, Cañete 2, Manguraban 2

ACES (71) - Filoteo 25, Cantanao 16, Quintana 9, Delantar 9, Ngojo 5, Sardina 4, Balasabas 3

Quarterscores:21-18, 31-30, 53-41, 75-71