St. Clare vents ire on OLLTI, gains quarters

St. Clare College of Caloocan sprang back from a 63-68 loss to Holy Angel University the last time out with a 73-60 drubbing of Our Lady of Lourdes Technical Institute Friday to clinch a slot in the quarterfinals of the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) basketball tournament at the UM gym.

University of Manila and Angeles University Foundation, meanwhile, stayed on track for an outright passage into the semifinals with routs of winless teams Arellano and AMA Computer University.

The UM Hawks, behind the redhot games of Rudolph Eilenger, Jessie Macasa and Vicente Velmor, drubbed the Flaming Arrows, 91-60, for their seventh win in a row while the AUF Great Danes, behind Ricmar Garcia, Patrick De Mesa and Allan Icban, rolled past the AMA Cybertigers, 90-53, for their sixth straight victory.

The top two teams after the single-round elims gain outright entry into the semis while the next four figure in a knockout quarterfinals.

The St. Clare Saints assured themselves of a slot in the quarters as they notched their fifth win in eight games against their OLLTI rivals, who, on the other hand, suffered their fifth defeat against two wins.

Ian Castillo and Reyvan dela Cruz fired 18 points apiece while Ismael Balanay rifled in 11 to lead the St. Clare charge.

Ahead by only eight, 54-46, after the first three quarters of play, St. Clare eventually broke OLLTI’s back by starting with a 7-0 run in the final period.

OLLTI, Technological University of the Philippines and Pamantasan ng Makati press their bids for the quarters at the resumption of play also at the UM gym today. It's OLLTI versus AMA at 10:30 a.m. and TUP against PnM at 12:30.