Baycats new NAASCU Champs

Kris Lucernas scores unmolested

Free throw (Fuh-ree Tuh-row) A free shot from 15 feet.

I was once told that free throws are supposed to made free,. That is why missing a free throw is a cardinal sin in a basketball game. That is why we always ask ourselves, how will a team expect to win if they miss 23 free throws in one game. That was the waterloo that the STI College Olympians put themselves into as the San Sebastian College Recoletos de Cavite Baycats exploited this chink in the Olympians armor to get the all important 86-77 game three win to dethrone the champs and crown themselves as the 8^th NAASCU Seniors Basketball champions.

Arnold Danganan on the fastbreak

The game was another classic as both teams would not blink an eye may it be in defense or in offense. The Baycats started where they left of, by nailing the first three-pointer in their first attempt. Confidence runs high in the game of Raymond Alacasabas as he hit a three pointer while Mark Basa was humming offensively once again. ON the other side of the court, Ramon Mabayo was all business as he drove to the lane with authority. The Olympians stepped up their defense as Darryl Mendoza and Mabayo swatted almost every shot that the Baycats had in the paint.

Ramon Mabayo fell short of another title

The Olympians waxed hot as Norman Ihalas sank three three pointers to give the Olympians a 49-43 lead. Just when everything was going their way the Olympians left Mark Basa open for two consecutive plays and the Olympians paid dearly for the Baycat forward sank two consecutive three pointers to tie the count 49-all. This gave renewed confidence to the Baycats as they ended the quarter with torrid outside shooting and their transition game was hard to check to give them a 64-59 lead going into the pay off period. The Olympians tried to match the firepower of the Baycats who were trying to pull away but unfortunately could not fend off the tough stand of the Olympians. With the game still within reach ad the Baycats just ahead by four 74-70, the Olympians self destructed in the face of an 12-7 wind up by the Baycats as they missed 6 important free throws going to the last four minutes of the game. This eventually led to the Baycats getting their first title in the league.

SSC's Kris Lucernas is the league's MVP

Baycats Center - Forward Kris Lucernas was voted as the league MVP while Ric Gracilla, Ramon Mabayo, JJ Collado of Subic Bay and Richmond Sibal of St. Clare composed the Mythical five. St. Clare's Aries Pariñas is this season's Rookie of the year. Coach Egay Macaraya also won the Coach of the Year award which usually goes to the champion team. It was the first time in the history of the NAASCU that a game three was played in the championship, at the same time this is the fourth straight year that the Olympians played in the NAASCU finals.

SSC Baycats, 8th NAASCU Champs - Congratulations

SAN SEBASTIAN COLLEGE ( 86)
Lucernas 19, Alcasabas 18, Basa 16, Villareal 14, Gracilla 7, Antipuesto 6, Escobal 5, Acain 1, Collado 0, Pantonia 0

STI COLLEGE (77)
Mabayo 17, Danganan 14, Ihalas 13, Vasallo 10, Macabasco 7, Aranzaso 5, Crisostomo 4, Mendoza 3, Limpin 2, Sabellina 2,

Quarter scores: 17-19, 36-33, 64-59, 86-77

STI wins Game 1 of NAASCU Finals

William Vasallo sank three three pointers in the second quarter

Oscar Crisostomo sank a cold blooded three pointer in the last 35.5 seconds to give the STI College Olympians its first taste of the lead and eventually the win as the Olympians eked out a 75-72 win to take game 1 of the best of three series of the 8th National Athletic Association of SChools Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) at the Makati COliseum. Crisostomo also sank the insurance basket as the Olympians shutdown the Baycats offense by limiting them to just two free throws and at the same time forcing them to 5 turnovers and five missed three pointers in the last 5 minutes.

Vasallo on the Fastbreak

The Olympians started the game missing Michael Cabangon who just recently turned 24 plus two other casualties who were thrown out of the final four game against Lyceum - Arnold Danganan and Norman Ihalas. The Baycats exploited this manpower problem of the Olympians as Ray Alcasabas and Ric Gracilla sank triples, stole the ball and the rest of the Baycats scored in transition. Coach Vic Ycasiano never knew what hit him, after a tight first two minutes the Baycats ran and scored whilile the Olympians were missing free throws. The quarter ended with the Baycats with a commanding 15 point lead 26-11.

Macabasco scoops a shot

The Olympians then cut the lead into half thanks to the three point sniping of former Inter -STI MVP William Vasallo who sank three three pointers in the second quarter that gave the Olympians enough to come back to the game which ended 41-34. The third quarter was a game of spurts as the Baycats and the Olympians engaged in a running game with both teams scoring 18 points apiece. The Olympians would threaten to get back and then the Baycats would pull away. Ramon Mabayo underscored his strength by scoring on drives while the Baycats scores on fastbreaks.

Darryl Mendoza lays it in

In the fourth quarter, the Baycats started strong by hitting a three pointer after Ramon Mabayo had cut the lead to five, Alacasbas' three pointer put the Baycats again ahead by eight. Then with the Baycats safely ahead 70-61 and less than 5 minutes left, the Olympian guards presided over a crippling 15-2 run. After Ramon Mabayo put the Olympians to within five after scoring on a putback, Crisostomo drove to the hoop and attracted some defenders and passed the ball to Macky Macabasco who was free from the three point area. He previously missed a three pointer prior to that shot and he calmly sank this three pointer to cut the Baycats lead to two 68-70. WIth San Sebastian leading 72-70, Macky Macabasco returned the favor by attracting defenders and passing the ball to Oscar Crisostomo who also previously missed a three pointer, and Crisostomo buried the three pointer to break the backs of the Baycats and give the Olympians first blood in the series.

Ramon Mabayo scores

With three men out, the Olympians proved that their experience and heart were more than enough to squeeze the win as the Baycats choked in the endgame. Ric Gracilla was about to drive to give the lead back to SSC but he bungled the opportunity with a dribbling error. Their most consistent Center on the other hand Kris Lucernas bungled two important free throws that would have sent the game into overtime. This just shows the stuff that the Olympians are made of. Game two is on thursday..will the Olympians win it again, let the games begin.

STI COLLEGE ( 75)
Mabayo 20, Vasallo 20, Crisostomo 11, Aranzaso 6, Mendoza 5, Macabasco 5, Limpin 5, Washington 3, Daanoy 0, Daguplo 0, Sabellina 0

SAN SEBASTIAN COLLEGE (72)

Gracilla 18, Ray. Alcasabas 10, Lucernas 10, Basa 8, Escobal 8, Acain 8, Antipuesto 5, Pantonia 4, Villareal 1,Callado 0,

Quarters scores 11-26, 34-41, 52-59, 75-72