Featured game: STI Quezon Ave wins in overtime

William Vasallo of STI College QA on a follow up

The STI College Quezon Ave. cagers was last year's version of the heartbreak kids. This year they want to bounce back to erase that monicker and build their own as the comeback kids. That monicker proved to be their rallying point as they beat the team that booted them out from the top three - STI College Global City 101-99 in overtime. Arvin Sarmiento led the onslaught of points as he led all scorers with 26 points, most of them in the fourth quarter.

Wynard Sultan on the fastbreak

Former Olympian Macky Macabasco and former STI Basketball Showdown MVP William Vasallo also carried the fight for the Quezon ave dribblers who were trailing most of the first half. Vasallo calmly sank three pointers while Macabasco's leadership was what got them back to the game. Ervin Magistrado, Rogie Trunio and new recruit Charlon Untalan also scored in double figures to give the QA cagers a balanced attack.

Macky Macabasco scores on a lay up

Down by 8 points in the fourth quarter, 86-78, the home team from Global City did not give up as they uncorked a paralyzing 11-5 run to catch up with the Quezon Avenue dribblers at 91-all. Do it all forward Wynard Sultan carried the fight for the home team as he scored 21 big points with a ton of them on drives to the hope and fastbreaks. Ably backing him up are Avila with 20 points, Shifty guard Mamangon with 13 points, burly forward Magsalos with 11 points, Sarmiento with 10 points and their point guard Oyama who contributed 9 points. Sultan also added 4 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.

Arvin Sarmiento on a difficult drive

In other games, STI College Santa Rosa got another rout as they gave STI College Novaliches a sound beating 110 - 60. Parala and Cruz led the The Santa Rosa squad which is the only other unbeaten team in the tournament with 18 and 17 points respectively. STI College Balagtas bounced back from its opening day loss to Santa Rosa with a statement win over STI College Marikina 82 - 65. Pascual and Chow King Yee both scored 16 points each to underscore the strength of the Balagatas team which features two up and coming Olympians. In the battle of two unbeaten teams, STI College Muñoz came up on top with a 68-63 win over STI College Taft. Songculan and Benigno each had 12 points to offset the 25 point performance of Taft guard Jazzy Vergara. STI College Santa Rosa and Quezon Ave. lead the way with 2 wins and no losses while Balagtas, Global City, Marikina and Munoz are now 1-1 while Taft and Novaliches are 0-2.

Wynard Sultan and Jay Ramirez block Rogie Trunio

The box scores

GAME 1

STI COLLEGE QUEZON AVE (101) Sarmiento 26, Macabasco 17, Magistrado 14, Vasallo 14, Trunio 12, Untalan 10, Panganiban 4, Jamero 2, Bilog 0,

STI COLLEGE GLOBAL CITY (99) Sultan 21, Avila 20, Mamangon 13, Magsalos 11, Sarmiento 10, Oyama 9, de Belen 5, Ramirez 4, Tabug 2, Becares 2, Fajardo 2, Saltiga 0, Cruz 0

GAME 2

STI COLLEGE MUNOZ (68) Benigno 12, Songculan 12, Malbueso 9, ALejandrino 9, Yu 7, Giron 6, Losanez 6, Feliciano 3, Cabisang 2, Dantes 2

STI COLLEGE TAFT (63) Vergara 25, Enriquez 8, Sandajan 7, Bondad 5, Toledo 4, Wabe 4, Libarios 4, Tolsa 4, Yabut 2, Parafina 0, David 0, Padlan 0, Hapton 0,

GAME 3

STI COLLEGE BALAGTAS (82) Pascual 16, Yee 16, A. dela Cruz 7, R. dela Cruz 6, Cruz 5, Macapagal 5, Querubin 5, Crisostomo 5, Pepito 5, Ablaza 4, Leguin 4, Baliclic 4, Villadoz 0, Somontina 0

STI COLLEGE MARIKINA (65) Nayle 26, Centrillo 17, H. Torres 7, Cruz 6, Torres 3, Caderal 0, Olanada 0, Fontanilla 0, Espiritu 0, Cabales 0

GAME 4

STI COLLEGE SANTA ROSA (110) Parala 18, Cruz 17, Reyes 14, Salamat 8, Maunahan 8, Manabat 7, Balmaceda 7, Batisan 7, Santos 7, Ferrer 6, Baniqued 6, Lacsina 5, Arzola 0

STI COLLEGE NOVALICHES (60) Escosia 16, Canlas 15, Obosa 9, Tungol 6, Auingan 4, Lim 4, dela Cruz 2, Katon 2, Ordiz 1, Oraa 1, Enriquez 0, Soriano 0