NU wards off Sacred Heart in NBTC cagefest opener

MANILA, Philippines – Reigning UAAP high school champion National U turned back a fighting Palarong Pambansa gold medal winner Sacred Heart of Cebu, 80-76, to jumpstart its title bid in the Seaoil National Basketball Training Center League National High School Championship at the Ynares Center in Pasig City Thursday.

Hubert Cani, a former mainstay of the national youth team who helped steer the Bullpups to this season’s UAAP title, fired 16 points, including a crucial triple in the stretch that quelled the Cebuano cagers’ late rally.

“It was a complete team effort but his shot late in the game was huge,” said NU coach Jeff Napa of his star player Cani, who was also the UAAP Finals MVP.

NU, which also drew double-digit efforts from Mark Anthony Dyke, Manuel Mosqueda and John Paul Cauilan with 16, 12 and 10 points, respectively, guns for another win against St. Francis of Assisi College at 8 a.m. Friday that will clinch the former a seat in the quarterfinals.

It was a sorry loss for Sacred Heart, who dismantled a 10-point deficit with a massive rally that saw it knot the count at 62-all with over three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

But the Bullpups proved tougher as they made the shots when needed included that dagger three by Cani with 1.09 minutes to go, turning a shaky one-point lead to a four-point cushion.

After making the clutch triple, Cani, who is being heavily recruited by college teams headed by Ateneo, put a finger of his mouth as a gesture of silencing the Cebu squad, which came here hoping for an upset victory.

And Cebu almost did despite the absence of coach Romel Rasmol, who didn’t coach because he is part of the NBTC organizing committee, and starter Jair Edrei, who served out a one-game suspension he incurred for his misconduct in the Cebu Regional the day before.

“Tough luck but I’m proud of my boys still,” said Rasmol, who steered his wards to a shock win over powerhouse San Sebastian of the National Capital Region in the gold medal match in the Palarong Pambansa in Dumaguete last May.

Earlier, Hua Siong College of Iloilo walloped West Negros of Bacolod, 74-61, to likewise open its bid on a bright note.