STI College Global City beats STI College Balagtas 98 - 92

Mike Sampurna led the Global City Team in scoring

STI College Balagtas has been a perennial favorite year in and year out with its all-out hustle. No matter who plays, the team displays relentless defense and non-stop resiliency. Unfortunately it was not enough to quell the tide as the team they have time and again beaten in the years past has finally gotten one over them to the tune of a hard earned 98 – 92 victory by the STI College Global City squad.

David Guhiting vs. Goliath

Getting momentum from their knock out match against STI College Las Pinas last week, the Global City team pounded the inside and ran when needed.  STI College Balagtas on the other hand worked like a horse on defense and moved the ball to find the open man. Such contrasting styles of play was a joy to watch as both teams slugged it out in the first half with neither one winking an eye. There were five lead changes in seven occasions the score was tied in the first half which showed how close and important the game was.  The back court tandem of King Carlos and Jim Lontoc each scored 9 points to lead the Taguig based Global City squad while JP San Pedro and David Guhiting scored 13 and 10 points respectively to lead the Bulacan cagers to a 46 – 43 halftime lead.

Elmer Labis drives to the basket

In the second half the trio of Elmer Labis, Jansen Pangilinan and Mike Sampurna torched the rings as Labis and Pangilinan scored inside while Sampurna scored on fastbreaks.  Unfortunately for the Taguig cagers, everytime they threaten to blow the game away the Bulacan team would slowly eat up their lead and come back like a bad nightmare. David Guhiting went on to hit the hoops as his lay in with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter tied the score at 80 – all as the Balagtas team clawed back from what was once a 68 -  60 deficit. At this point of the game, the teams would take turns on scoring and defending with each one trying to outduel the other.

STI College Balagtas defense

With the score tied at 86 – all with 3 minutes left in the game, Raymond Veluz took matters into his own hands as he replaced ace point guard King Carlos who fell down and hurt himself on a drive to the basket. After Jansen Pangilinan made it 90 – 87 in Global City’s favor, Veluz scored 8 points on two fastbreaks, a jumper off a broken play with the ball bouncing high and eventually getting into the rim and then two free throws that sealed the win for the global City squad.  Guhiting and San Pedro who scored 24 and 23 points respectively heaved a final counter with Guhiting hitting a three pointer and San Pedro on a lay in to cut the lead to two points 94 -92 until Veluz came in to deliver the knock-out blow.   Six Global City players scored in double figures.

Carlos shows why he is King

Box Scores:

STI COLLEGE GLOBAL CITY (98)

Sampurna 19, Labis 18, Pangilinan 17, Lontoc 14, Carlos 13, Veluz 11, Baldoza 2, Cudal 2, Lumelay 2,

STI COLLEGE BALAGTAS

Guhiting 24, San Pedro 23, Rafols 17, Miranda 15, Macapagal 6, Reyes 4, Estanislao 2, Oraye 1,  Joson 0,

Quarter scores

21 – 20, 43 – 46, 70 – 65, 98 - 92