STI College Santa Rosa continue their winning ways

The Santa Rosa Triggerman June Aliparo

Pop Quiz. What was hotter than the weather today? Answer - STI College Santa Rosa’s shooting guard June Aliparo’s shooting.  Aliparo torched the STI College Malolos with a game high 32 points to lead the STI College Santa Rosa team to a convincing 87 – 58 win and score their second win in Group A of the STI National Basketball Tournament National Finals.  One more win and the Santa Rosa team, winners of five STI Basketball showdown titles, will enter the finals against the top team from Group B.

Jan Almoro on a jumper

The Laguna based Santa Rosa team started scoring like a house on fire as veteran guard Norbert Pena and June Aliparo took turns in torching the hoop.  In a matter of five minutes the score had the Santa Rosa team comfortably ahead 17 – 4 with Peña and Aliparo each scoring 7 points. Coach Chit Jimenez of Malolos immediately called a timeout to address the sudden surge of their opponent. Unfortunately, that was just a precursor of what was to happen as Aliparo continued his hot shooting by scoring off three more three pointers and a jumper. At the end of the first quarter, the STI College Malolos team had 14 points while Aliparo had 18.

Ralph Bonifacio scores for STI College Malolos

STI College Malolos through Carlo Jimenez, Jovito Quetua and Arche Salo tried to mount a comeback but unfortunately the Laguna based squad had all the answers for every three point play, jumper or inside incursion that the Malolos squad did. Backing up ALiparo and Pena was last year’s basketball showdown MVP Jan Almoro and Jhon Ursua. Almoro, Addis Lizen and Dan Mamaed were like walls preventing the Malolos bigs to score inside while the guards hounded their counterparts the whole game.  STI College Santa Rosa will now battle the unbeaten Visayas champions, STI West Negros University, for the top spot in Group A and an outright seat to the championship.

Jestoni Hercia on the drive 

STI COLLEGE SANTA ROSA (87)

Aliparo 32, Peña 13, Ursua 9, Almoro 8, Guerrero 7, Hercia 6, Fudotan 4, Francisco 3, Lizen 2, Mamaed 2, Caraan 1, Romero 0,

STI COLLEGE MALOLOS (58)

Quetua 12, Bonifacio 11, Salo 8, Jimenez 8, Tamayo 6, Sayo 6, Bautista 4, Cruz 3,  Angeles 0, Gatchalian 0

Quarter scores: 36 – 14, 53 – 37, 74 – 45, 87 - 58