UAAP stars outclass NC rivals on all fronts

Even in purely exhibition matches, the UAAP cagers proved better than their counterparts from the NCAA.

The UAAP South stars clobbered the NCAA East squad with a sleek running game linking both halves and came away with 94-77 rout while the UAAP North cagers turned back their rivals from the NCAA West side for a 62-57 victory at the close of the UAAP-NCAA Benefit Games at the Araneta Coliseum yesterday.

Joseph Yeo buried four of his seven triple attempts and went four-of-five from the perimeter as he sizzled with 21 points to spearhead the UAAP South attack in a game that started out close but closed out in a rout as the UAAP stars imposed their will and strength.

But while the UAAP South cruised to the win, UAAP North had to go through some anxious moments before repulsing the tough-playing West side.

Actually, the bets from the NCAA league ruled two of the three side events staged earlier — the three-point shootout and the 2-3 ball competition — but it was a UAAP cager who brought the house down with his scintillating victory in the slamdunk challenge.

Niño Cañaleta, a seldom-used player on the talent-laden UE roster, soared over two standing men and slammed it in to the delight of the crowd as he decisively beat three others for the crown.

The lanky, high-leaping Warrior fell short of a point to complete a perfect score of 50 points as he beat JC Intal of Ateneo, who had 46. In the elims, Cañaleta made up for his missed first attempt with a dazzling windmill slam that netted him 45 points, edging Intal (44) and Gilbert Migraso of Mapua and Letran’s Andro Quinday, who both had 42 points.

Meanwhile, Wynsjohn Te of Jose Rizal University sustained his fiery shooting in the elims to crown himself the new three-point king, beating the likes of top UAAP hotshots Cesar Catli of FEU, LA Tenorio of Adamson and James Yap of UE.

Te, whose 41 percent norm from beyond the arc in the season was unmatched in the UAAP league, scored 22 points to pace the elims then pumped in 20 points to beat the top UAAP qualifer — Ronnie Cajayon (14) of NU — in the finals.

In the 2-3 ball competition, the Louie Abad-Titus Mendoza tandem from St. Benilde bested three other pairs to cop the title with 38 points, nipping FEU’s Jay Sierra and Don Yabut (26) and La Salle’s JV Casio and Ty Tang (13) in the tiebreak.