Sunday, April 22, 2018

STI WNU ends Global City's run

 Renz Solomon is fouled as he drives to the basket

STI West Negros University flexed its muscle, used up their bench and ran away with a murderous romp over previously unbeaten STI College Global City 89 – 57 and ended the Taguig based squad’s winning streak at 9 games to top Group B of the National Finals of the STI National basketball Tournament at the EHT Gym at STI College Ortigas-Cainta. Just like any champion team, the West Negros team started out pumping iron and pushing the pedal to metal and never looked back when they saw that their opponents were lagging behind.



Adjie scores in the paint 


STI College Global City’s magnificent run was halted, there was no more exciting comeback, there was no more paralyzing run, instead the team was left in the emergency gasping in pain and was just waiting for the doctor to pull the plug. This time around, the West Negros team know Mike Sampurna and what he brings to the table and so the 2016 champs put the clamps on T-Mike and limited him to a measly 8 points, a far cry from the two game 28.5 average that Sampurna had. 


Lintongan for two on the fastbreak 

Two –time Mythical 5 selectee Renz Solomon got the Visayas champs going as he scored five points in the first quarter and more importantly got his rookies involved as Center Aldave Canoy and Philip Majometano added four points each to give STI WNU the needed separation from their opponents in the first ten minutes. Aside from Solmon’s three –pointer, most of the points of the West Negros team came from the paint as the Visayans pounded the middle. 



Canoy shows them all that height is might

In the second quarter, a different crew from West Negros pounded the Global City defense as returning guard John Pastias led the West Negros onslaught with Majometano, Charry Cadase and Jason Seballos joining the fray. By the time the first half ended the eight point West Negros lead has now ballooned to fourteen with the Global City squad sent to the dark groping for answers and finding ways to stop the West Negros rampage.

Sampurna eludes two defenders

In the third quarter, STI College Global City refused to go gently into the night and tried to muster enough strength to get back into the game. Unfortunately all they can do is trade baskets with the West Negros team and could as the best run they had was a  5 – 0 blitz which was not enough to get back to the game. At this point the biggest lead of the game was at 18 point with Cadase, Rouichi Belocura and rookie forward Louie Badilles doing much of the damage.



Cadase sizzles for two


The fourth quarter saw STI WNU unleash their finishing touch and put their offensive arsenal at full blast as they outscored the previously unbeaten Taguig based dribblers  31 – 12 in the last 10 minutes of the game. Renz Solomon led the balanced attack of the West Negros team that saw seven other players score as STI WNU came out as the best team in Group B. Rookie Majometano eventually finished the game with 14 points, with Solomon chipping in 13, Pastias adding 12 and Badilles contributing a solid 12 points 7 rebounds performance. John Atlobulan led STI College Global City with 17 points while Sampurna and Lintongan both had 8 points each.
Pastias books the two points


STI West Negros now has a chance to barge into the finals for the third straight year but will need to go through the eye of the needle to do so. The West Negros team will need to beat the defending champions STI College Santa Rosa, a team they have never beaten in the NBT, to make it to the final dance. What awaits STIers is more quality and high level basketball waiting to be seen.


To view the stats of the game click this link

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