Saints ward off Phoenix, near NAASCU title

MANILA, Philippines – St. Clare College-Caloocan rode on a big fourth quarter run then fended off Our Lady of Fatima’s repeated rallies to carve out a 72-67 victory and move closer to a second championship in the NAASCU men’s basketball finals at the Makati Coliseum late Tuesday.

The Saints raced to an 18-point lead, 64-46, early in the fourth period but needed to lean on Aris Dionisio and Steve Fongue’s clutch baskets to finish off the top-seeded Phoenix in the opener of their best-of-three title series.

The Caloocan City-based Saints gun for the clincher, their second in five years, at 4 p.m. today, also at the Makati Coliseum.

Game 3, if necessary, will be played on Saturday.

Dionisio and Fongue combined for 14 of St. Clare’s 18 points in the fourth quarter to seize full control before holding sway to frustrate the Phoenix and spoil Joseph Marquez’s 36-point burst.

Dionisio finished with 13 points, including a crucial three-point play inside the last two minutes to stop the Fatima’s 12 straight points that saw the Phoenix pull to within, 58-64.

Dionisio added 22 rebounds and seven shot blocks to also clinch the best player of the game honors.