Global City Cagers stay in second

Wynald Sultan of Global City scores

Forward Chris Becares scored three points in the dying seconds as the STI College Global City basketball team squeaked past last year's second placers, STI College Quezon Avenue 69 - 67. The win put the Global City dribblers in solo second place ahead of STI College Balagtas which opened the first quarter with a 31 - 3 lead and cruised by the rest of the way to repulse a hard fighting STI College Las Pinas team 113-60. League leader STI College Sta. Rosa likewise won by a big margin as they murdered an undermanned STI College Taft team 122 - 55.

Jhay Ar Avila shows his strength

STI College Global City was comfortably ahead in the third period as they erected a 49 - 33 lead on the strength of their superb defense and flawless offense. Point Guards Mark Acuna and former Junior Olympian Arvin Sarmiento presided over the run and gun offense of the Global City squad that put them ahead by as much as fourteen points. After three quarters it looked like the Global City cagers were on their way to duplicate their first round win against the STI College Quezon Avenue team.

Charlon Untalan orchestrates

STI College Quezon Avenue does not have the strong line up that they had in previous years. Gone are former Olympians Macky Macabasco and former STI Showdown MVP William Vasallo who were both instrumental to their second place finish last year. Tasked to lead the Quezon Avenue squad is forward Ervin Magistrado who fueled the amazing Quezon avenue comeback. The Quezon ave full court press worked wonders as Magistrado together with junior Olympian Charlon Untalan, Paolo Zabala and Eldrick Jamero unleashed a paralyzing full court press that made the Taguig based dribblers commit mistakes. The Quezon ave team crawled back to 64 -65 with less than a minute left until Becares scored on free throw and put back to seal the win for the host team.

Eldrick Jamero floats in mid-air

After six days of the 11th STI Basketball Showdown, defending champion STI College Sta. Rosa is still on top sporting an immaculate 6 - 0 slate and are poised to make it to the finals. The Global City dribblers are in second place with a 5 win one loss slate with their only loss coming at the hands of the defending champs. STI College Balagtas is in third place with two wins and two losses while last year's runner up STI College Quezon Avenue is in fourth with a 2 win four loss slate. STI College Las Pinas has one win and five losses while STI College Taft is the only "non-defeated" team in the league.

Pascual of Balagtas is fouled

by Sta. maria of Las Pinas

Scores

STI COLLEGE GLOBAL CITY (69)

Avila 19 , W. Sultan 14, Lontoc 7, Becares 7, Acuña 6, de Belen 6, Lagrimas 3, Sarmiento 2, Jimenez 2, Reyes 2, Magsalos 1, F. Sultan 0, Manalad 0, Elumba 0, Baquiran 0,

STI COLLEGE QUEZON AVENUE (67)

Magistrado 19, Zabala 17, Ragundiaz 12, Jamero 7, Cervantes 5, Untalan 5, Daclitaan 2, Araos 0, Zapanza 0, Magno 0