Diamante shines anew as Squires rally to shoot down Robins
Games Sunday
(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
8 a.m. – Letran vs EAC
10 a.m. – Mapua vs UPHSD
12 p.m. – SSC-R vs AU
2:30 p.m. – San Beda vs LPU
4:30 p.m. – JRU vs CSB
MANILA, Philippines – Letran rode on another gem of a performance by George Diamante as it dealt Mapua its first defeat — a come-from-behind 86-69 victory — while bolstering its title-retention bid in the NCAA Season 99 juniors basketball tourney at the Filoil EcoOil Arena Friday.
Like a diamond, Diamante cut the Red Robins to pieces and dropped a magical 28-point effort, including 21 in the final half that turned a one-point disadvantage into the Squires’ third win in a row and fourth in five outings.
It was the 6-5 athletic big who ignited that massive third quarter turnaround by uncorking 10 points there.
He went on to finish with 13 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block.
That was a similar line he delivered last time in an 88-79 win over Lyceum of the Philippines University two days before when he had 21 points, 16 boards, eight dimes, four swipes and a swat.
Mapua sputtered to 4-1.
In another match, San Beda tightened the defensive screws in the last minute and a half as it edged College of St. Benilde, 64-62, for the former’s third triumph in five outings.
Down by two, the Red Cubs held the Junior Blazers to just a point while scoring five points on their own in that pivotal stretch courtesy of a three-point play by Drei Lorenzo and a pair of dagger foul shots by Hendric Vailoces.
CSB dropped 1-4.
The scores:
First Game
Letran 86 – Diamante 26, Manalili 14, Silorio 13, Baliling 11, Gazzingan 10, Navarro 7, De Leon 4, Padilla 1, Golez 0, Villanueva 0, Hugo 0, Cruz 0
Mapua 69- Mangubat 18, Valina 15, Mulintapang 8, Salvador 5, Rodriguez 4, Gragasin 4, Masiglat 4, Go 4, Palis 2, Mananquil 2, Bagro 2, Bernabe 1, Duque 0, Malaga 0, Coronel 0
Quarterscores: 16-20; 35-36; 63-49; 86-69
Second Game
San Beda 64 – Lorenzo 15, Vailoces 13, Dollente 10, Batong Bakal 6, Mercado 6, San Juan 5, Canete 3, Wagan 3, Medroso 3, Mondigo 0, Jomalesa 0, Solano 0
CSB 62 – Quines 23, Podador 14, Sharma 6, Gomez 6, Muyuela 3, Natividad 3, Ortega 2, Nonoy 2, Osis 2, Ison 1, Peralta 0, Abad 0
Quarterscores: 15-20; 26-36; 48-43; 64-62
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