Pirates trip Royale BC

MANILA, Philippines - Newly crowned Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association (ISAA) champion Lyceum of the Philippines survived Royale Business Club, 82-76, while EJM Pawnshop humbled Philippine Air Force, 94-78, to barge into the win column in the 2010 MBL Invitational basketball championship at the Lyceum gym in Intramuros, Manila.

Lyceum rode on the game-long brilliance of Allen Difuntorum and Reggie Rimando to stave off repeated comebacks by Royale BC and clinch their first win in two matches in this nine-team, two-and-a-half-month-long tournament supported by Smart Communications, Dickies Underwear and PRC Managerial Services.

Difuntorum scattered 18 points, including five three-point shots that helped the Intramuros-based Pirates of coach Bonnie Tan and athletics consultant Hec Callanta to secure the win.

Rimando, who was voted Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the ISAA, contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds for Lyceum, which is being supported by Ocean Fresh, Showa and UCM Car Airconditioning.

Allan Santos and Fritz Gerald Ong added 10 points each for the Pirates.

Leemore Boliver and Toti Bandaying combined for 42 points for Royale BC of manager Bong Paggabao and coach Ferdie Orna.

Boliver finished with 22 points, while Bandaying added 20 points for Royal BC, which debuted with an 86-60 win over Air Force.

Equally impressive was EJM Pawnshop , which drew big numbers from Yurick Florino, Mark Marcos and Wowyn Escosio to snap a two-game losing skid.

Florino scored a team-high 14 points, Marcos added 13 and Escosio had 11 points for EJM of manager Edwin J. Malibiran and coach Andy de Guzman.

Roland Pascual paced Air Force with 17 points, followed by former University of the East standout Alvin Zuniga with 15 points and Ryan Tongio with 10 points.