St. Clare rips Black Mamba to top Group B in PBA D-League

Games Thursday
(Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig)
1:30 p.m. – Asia's Lashes vs iWalk
3:30 p.m. – Hazchem vs AMA
5:30 p.m. – Italiano's Homme vs Hyperwash

MANILA, Philippines – BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare secured the top seed in Group B after tearing Black Mamba apart by 39 points, 161-122, in the 2019 PBA D-League Foundation Cup at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Malian big man Mohammed Pare set the pace for the Saints with 31 points and 19 rebounds in the win as they took down a number of scoring records in the blowout.

BRT Sumisip-St. Clare scored the most points in league history at 161, surpassing the 144 set by Hyperwash in its conquest of McDavid-La Salle Araneta last August 19.

The Saints' 95-point second half explosion was also the most points scored in a half, topping Tanduay's 83-point second-half surge in its 141-65 win over Zark's last July 10, 2017, while their 53 fourth quarter points tied the Rhum Masters' third quarter output in their 113-71 conquest of Gamboa Coffee last June 27, 2017 for the most in a single period.

"Kita niyo naman nageenjoy na yung mga bata nung huli," said coach Stevenson Tiu, surprised to learn the history his chargers made in the victory.

More than anything, the trouncing hiked their card to 5-0 and locked up a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs.

"Of course kahit sinong coach masaya with that advantage for the playoffs," said Tiu.

Joseph Peñaredondo scored 25 points built on six treys. Darwin Lunor had 16 points, while Irven Palencia and Raymond Rubio added 12 markers apiece as BRT Sumisip-St. Clare buried 12 triples in the affair.

The Saints actually got challenged by the Energy Drink, until they heated up and made a 16-0 run abridging the second and third periods to turn a 57-54 deficit to a 70-57 lead with 9:25 on the clock.

The game would never be in question from then on as BRT Sumisip-St. Clare would enjoy a lead as high as 47 points, 159-112, after a Peñaredondo 3-pointer with 1:34 left in the game.

Jett Vidal had 18 points to lead Black Mamba, who fell to 3-2 following the humiliating defeat.

Dahrell Caranguian and Clark Derige had 17 points apiece while John Tayongtong, Nicol Bolos, and ex-pro PJ Barua all scored 11 markers each for the Energy Drink.

The scores:

BRT SUMISIP-ST. CLARE 161 – Pare 31, Peñaredondo 25, Lunor 16, Palencia 12, Rubio 12, Hallare 11, Collado 8, Fontanilla 8, Decano 8, Manacho 8, Tiquia 6, Ng 6, Bautista 5, Santos 5, Dumapig 1.

BLACK MAMBA 122 – Vidal 18, Derige 17, Caranguian 17, Bolos 11, Barua 11, Tayongtong 11, Balucanag 7, Vitug 7, Boholano 6, Gadon 6, Carongoy 5, Castro 4, Medina 2, Santiago 0.

Quarters: 32-32, 66-57, 108-80, 161-122.