CEU, USC prevail in Filoil cagefest

MANILA, Philippine – The CEU Scorpions notched their second win of the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup over College of Saint Benilde, 77-68, at the San Juan Arena last Friday, May 2.

The Scorpions, defending NAASCU champions, drew huge games behind quarterback Alvin Abundo, power forward Alfred Batiño and Congolese center Rodrigue Ebondo.

Abundo picked apart the Blazers’ defense with pinpoint passes inside the lane for five assists while repeatedly breaking down CSB’s full court press. Ebondo totally destroyed the inside game of Benilde’s Bartolo and Ongtengco who shot a combined 7-22 leaving CSB’s wingmen to carry the scoring load.

Ebondo scored with 15 points while tallying 18 rebounds, one assist, one steal and five blocks. Batiño, who did most of his damage early in the game, also scored 15 points.

When the Blazers pressed, CEU broke it with relative ease by employing a three-guard lineup with Carlo Casiño and Aaron Jeruta quickly moving the ball upcourt for easy layups.

CEU led by as much as 19 points, 40-21, after Ebondo knocked in a triple at the 7:10 mark of the third period.

The Blazers launched a spirited rally behind back-up point guard Anton Altamirano and forward Paolo Taha that cut the lead down to nine, 49-38, but CEU finished the third period strong to restore a double digit lead, 54-41.

The Scorpions repulsed one rally after another in the fourth period with suffocating defense.

After Ongteco scored on a medium range jumper to cut the lead down to eight, 60-52, with seven minutes to play, Ebondo swatted away Deles’ layup. Abundo then stole Romeo Nayve’s inbound pass that led to two CEU free throws. After a Bartolo turnover, Jeruta knocked in a floater in the lane that took the fight out of the Blazers.

“We played better today,” said an ecstatic CEU coach Edgar Macaraya. “This time we’re able to sustain our effort especially on the defensive end. Hats off to my boys for their incredible play.”

It was CEU’s second win over a NCAA team. Last Wednesday, the Scorpions defeated Emilio Aguinaldo College, 76-67.

In other Filoil matches, the University of San Carlos Warriors prevailed over defending CESAFI champions University of Visayas, 77-71, to score their first win in the preseason tourney.

Nico Magat led the Warriors with 17 points on a 3-of-7 shooting from threes, as Ian Ortega had 16 markers from a 3-of-5 three-point shooting from the field. Miguel Plata also had a 3-of-5 shooting from rainbow country to finish with 10 points, as African reinforcements Espoir Toyambi and Olago Shooster combined for 18 points and 11 rebounds.

"Hats off ako sa players namin," said USC coach Junthy Valenzuela. "Yung game plan namin, andun, yung heart at effort andun. Wala kaming masabi. Lahat binigay nila sa game na 'to."

A strong third quarter surge enabled the Warriors to lead by as much as 10 points, but the Green Lancers made a run in the payoff period to cut the deficit to just four, 68-64.

The re-entry of Toyambi and Plata in the six minute mark of the fourth stifled UV's run and gave USC their breakthrough win.

The Green Lancers were led by John Abad, who had 25 of his game-high 38 points in the first half to go with his seven rebounds. But there wasn't much help coming from the rest of his squad, as Raffy Octobre added 11 points, as they saw their African imports Steve Akomo and Mpolina foul out of the game in the crucial stages of the fourth.

The scores

 First Game:

USC 77 – Magat 17, Ortega 16, Plata 10, Toyambi 9, Shooster 9, Bensig 6, Laude 6, Rabat 4, Lim 0, Oleodo 0, Trozo 0, Pepito 0, Cortes 0, Rocha 0.

UV 71 – Abad 38, Octobre 11, Mpolina 6, Amoquiz 6, Akomo 4, Perolino 2, Codilla 2, Marquez 2, Arong 0, Segumpan 0, Aguirre 0, Escosio 0, Cabanero 0, Suerte 0.

Second Game:

CEU 77 – Ebondo 15, Batiño 15, Abundo 12, Celso 9, Sedurifa 8, Banua 6, Jeruta 5, Opiso 4, Mutombo 2, Casiño 1, De Leon 0, Vargas 0.

CSB 68 – Grey 13, Ongtengco 12, Nayve 10, Taha 8, Argamino 6, Saavedra 5, Altamirano 4, Bartolo 3, Johnson 3, Flores 2, Deles 2, Pajrillaga 0, Suarez 0.