STI WNU beat STI College Malolos top Group B

Rommel Galvez scores on a lay-up

In the battle of the two unbeaten Group B teams, one team was determined to stay focused on their mission while the other team wants to reach their goal for the season. Like any basketball game, the result will always be inevitable that one’s journey will get derailed while the other will stay in the hunt. That was the  what happened in the game wherein the Mustangs of STI West Negros University beat the Falcons of STI College Malolos  94 – 78 to become the only unbeaten team in Group B of the 2016 STI National Basketball Tournament National finals.  STI West Negros University will face the second seeded team in Group A in the cross-over semifinals, STI College Koronadal, for a passage to the National Finals Championship game.

Kelbert Victoria powers his way to the basket

STI West Negros University started like a house on fire as their crafty point guard Renz Solomon presided over an opening 7 – 0 run by scoring on a drive and a three pointer to break the Malolos team’s defense.  Coach Chit Jimenez immediately sued for time for his team to regroup and respond to STI WNU’s remarkable first two minutes. STI College Malolos would then battle back as the trio of Dario Gatchalian, Arche Salo and Glenn Bautista helped stem the tide for the Malolos team to catch up at the end of the first quarter which saw STI WNU still on top 16 – 14.

Kobe Vizcarra cans this jumper

In the second quarter the Negrenses took charge as they dropped a 12 – 0 bomb in the mid-quarter to take a 17 points lead 36 – 19.  Shots were not falling for the Falcons as the suffocating defense by the Mustangs held them to 5 of 17 shooting (29%) which was unlikely for the Malolos team. In contrast, the Visayans shot 76% from the field (12 of 17) had 9 rebounds and shared the ball well with 8 assists in the quarter. The Malolos team did not know what hit them as the John Mc Hale Nermal torched them for 10 points while Sean Sajo and JV Veloso added 6 and 5 points respectively as the Visayans scored 27 second quarter points to lead at the half 43 – 31.

Mark Lester Tamayo is fouled to the basket

The second half saw no major scare for the West Negros team as they pounded the Bulakenyos to submission and weathered the storm everytime they would come back.  The West Negros offense went to overdrive as they scored 51 second half points while the team from Malolos lost steam and had a hard time catching up with the Visayas champions.  Nermal and Solomon topscored for the STI West Negros University team with 20 points apiece but it was their depth that made the difference. STI West Negros will now face STI College Koronadal while STI College Malolos will try to beat STI College Santa Rosa in the cross-over semifinals for a chance for the two to meet again in the 2016 STI National Basketball Tournament finals.

John Mc Hale Nermal glides to the basket

The scores

STI WEST NEGROS UNIVERSITY (94)

Nermal 20, Solomon 20, Veloso 12, Vizcarra 11,  Sajo 8, Villarias 8, Cadase 5, Galvez 4, Belocura 4, Adjie 2,

STI COLLEGE MALOLOS (78)

Bautista 15, Pujante 12, Victoria 11, Salo 10, Tamayo 10, Gatchalian 8, Cruz D. 4, Bonifacio 4, Santos 4, Encarnacion 0, Cruz L. 0,

Quarter scores: 16 – 14, 43 – 31, 71 – 56, 94 – 78