STI College Koronadal outlasts STI College Caloocan 70 -65

Cris Valencia paced Koronadal in scoring again

STI College Koronadal barged into the win column with an emphatic 70 – 65 win over a hard fighting STI College Caloocan team that refused to go out without a fight. The win gave the Mindanao based cagers an even 1 – 1 slate and a share of second spot in Group B in the STI National Basketball Tournament National Finals 2017. The win gave the South Cotabato team the needed boost coming into their last game of the National Finals elimination phase.

Ken Libdan on a jumper

Cris Valencia once again led the hard fighting Mindanao champions as he scored 18 points to lead his team again. The big difference this time was that he had ample help from Kenneth Libdan and who went inside in the first quarter, Paolo Soliva who did damage in the second & fourth quarter and Bernard Caguisano Jr. who waxed hot in the third quarter. Libdan and Soliva each had 13 points while Caguisano had 12.

Basti Berceno on the drive

Down by twenty points at the half and having a hard time getting a basket by scoring only 18 points, STI College Caloocan found their groove in the third quarter and erupted for 27 points to get back into the game. Basti Berceno scored 14 of those 27 points as he single handedly willed his team back after canning three 3-pointers to give them a fighting chance in the fourth quarter by trimming the Koronadal lead to seven at the break 52-45. 

Famulag swats Salazar's tear drop

STI College Caloocan’s defense tightened up in the fourth quarter and cut down the Koronadal lead to four 58 – 54 with just five minutes left in the game. The Mindanao based team then went to Paolo Soliva inside and Cris Valencia to quash the Caloocan rally and score their victory. STI College Koronadal finished fourth the past two seasons and are knocking on the door of getting backt into the final four depending on the final day results.

Bernard Caguisano threeeee!!!

The box scores:

STI COLLEGE KORONADAL (70)

Valencia 18, Libdan 13, Soliva 13, Caguisano B. 12 , Castillo 4, Sulit 4, Ala-an 3, Famulag 2, Morte 1, Bejasa 0, Caguisano J.  0,

STI COLLEGE CALOOCAN (65)

Berceño  23, Salazar  13, Patricio 8,  Perez  6, Laysico  3, , Schmidt  3, Sarmiento  3, Atienza  2, Flores  2, Lazaro 2, Salapong 0,

Quarter scores: 23 – 7, 38 – 18, 52 – 45, 70 – 65