Bombers streak to 7th win

Jose Rizal bucked the ejection of veteran guard John Wilson in the first half as it pummeled St. Benilde, 87-60, yesterday to extend its amazing win streak to seven in the 84th NCAA basketball tournament at the Astrodome.

Wilson was ejected along with Archie David after the two engaged in a scuffle in the second quarter. But Mac Cagoco and James Sena fired 16 points apiece to fill the void as the Bombers sealed a seventh win in row after dropping their first two.

“Actually we’re not thinking we’re 7-0. We’re just thinking we’re 2-0 in the second round. We’re going to take it a game at a time,” said Jose Rizal coach Ariel Vanguardia.

Chuck Dalanon paced the Blazers with 17 points but didn’t get enough support to offset the Bombers’ unrelenting pace en route to a sixth setback against three wins.

The win somehow appeased Vanguardia, who was disappointed with the way the team played in a low-scoring 51-49 win over Perpetual Help Friday.

“We’ve been practicing and playing bad lately so I challenged the players to score in the 80s and hold down St. Benilde to the 60s, which was what the boys did,” said Vanguardia.

In the other game, back-to-back champion San Beda beat undermanned Philippine Christian U, 72-67, and notched its sixth win against two losses.

Nigerian Sam Ekwe drilled in 22 points while Pong Escobal scattered 19, including nine in the fourth quarter.

Beau Belga served suspension for a flagrant foul in a game against San Sebastian last week. Fellow starters Lei Amparado and Darryl Santos also sat out the game due to ankle injuries, and the Dolphins took their eighth loss against a single win.

Jose Rizal got into offensive rhythmn early as it raced to a 22-12 lead in the first quarter and doubled their lead going into the break, 42-22.

The game, however, turned ugly when David punched Wilson with less than a minute to go in the second quarter, leading to a scuffle that resulted in their ejection.

The infraction would mean an automatic one-game suspension for David and Wilson.

Jose Rizal officials, however, said they will appeal the suspension of Wilson who, they said, did not actually throw a punch.