Three straight for STI College Santa Rosa
STI College Balagtas’ Cedric Ablaza drove to the hoop, sank the basket and drew a foul to give the Bulacan based cagers more hope as they rallied to come to within one point 60 – 59 with Ablaza ready to equilize. Unfortunately, Ablaza muffed his free throw while STI College Santa Rosa guard Aldrin Del Rosario sank the insurance free throw baskets to give the STI College Santa Rosa dribblers more breathing room with a three point lead. On the ensuing play STI College Balagtas hotshot guard Albert Pepito missed his three point attempt to tie the game that enabled the Santa Rosa dribblers to escape with a 62 – 59 win in the knock out match of the 12th STI Basketball showdown to notch their third straight title.
Cedric Ablaza of STI College Balagtas
Although Del Rosario provided the needed support and winning baskets, it was veteran guard Russel Parala who took control in the fourth quarter as the Laguna based dribblers erected an eight point lead in the last five minutes of the game. Parala was a cut above the rest as he led all scorers with 18 points together with 4 steals, 2 rebounds and one assist. Because of his tournament long brilliance Parala was named the tournament MVP as he edged out two of his team mates in probably the closest fight for the top individual plum.
Aldrin del Rosario scores
Providing support for Parala are veterans del Rosario who added 15 points, Armando Ferrer who scored 10 points and hauled down 9 rebounds, and Mark Arzola whose inside presence got him 7 points, 7 rebounds and 5 steals. The veterans came through as their defense made it hard for the Balagtas cagers to score specially in the second half. Leading the way for the Bulacan team were Ablaza and Pepito who both scored 13 points apiece. MVP candidate Patrick Pascual had 11 points with only one point coming in the fourth quarter.
Tournament MVP Ruzzel Parala scores on the drive
STI College Balagtas dictated the tempo of the game from the opening tip as their defense made it hard for the Laguna dribblers to penetrate and at the end of the first half the Bulacan cagers were on top by a basket 27 - 26. At the start of the third quarter the Santa Rosa quintet finally found their mark when Parala sank two three pointers and del Rosario added another one as the defending champions threatened to break the game wide open with an 7 point lead 40 -33 which prompted Coach Carlo Tan to call time out. Patick Pascual scored 8 points in the third for the Bulacan 5 to inch closer at the end of the quarter as the Laguna team led 45 -42 with a quarter left. In the fourth quarter Parala went to work early as the Santa Rosa quintet erected another eight point lead. Team Balagtas refused to wilt on the pressure as Pepito waxed hot by canning two consecutive three pointers and a basket and togethe with Ablaza came up with the Bulakeños final rally until Ablaza missed his free throw. It was the second time Team Balagtas lost to Team Santa Rosa in the finals. This is the third consecutive title for Coach Leo Callado who has steered the rebuilding Santa Rosa team to STI immortality.
Jonathan Teraña on the drive
In the battle for third place the other team from Bulacan, STI College Malolos, avenged their final game loss to STI College Global City with a masterful 89 - 61 drubbing of the host team. Do it all guard Jonathan Teraña led the Malolos dribblers as he combined with Abram Pineda to orchestrate a first quarter onslaught that saw the Bulacan team on top after one quarter 24 -13. The Global City squad never got their game going as Jim Patrick Lontoc was held to 16 points and was the lone cager from the hosts to score in double figures.
Alvin Detubio scores on a jumper
Teraña scored another nine points in the fourth quarter that doused all hopes for the Global City squad as the Bulacan cagers scored a total of 28 fourth quarter points. Ably backing up Teraña and Pineda who scored 17 points were Alvin Detubio who canned 13 points and inside operator Ronel Catahan who tallied 10 markers. The Malolos team is a young team so expect them to give their Balagtas counterparts and the defending champions a run for their money next year.
Jim Lontoc drives to the hoop
Box scores:
Battle for third:
STI COLLEGE MALOLOS (89)
Teraña 23, Pineda 17, Detubio 13, Catahan 10, Jimenez 9, Victoria 8, Quetua 4, Hernandez 4, Manaot 1, Alinas 0, Lazaro 0, Ecleo 0, Tolentino 0
STI COLLEGE GLOBAL CITY (61)
Lontoc 16, Baquiran 8, Acuña 6, de Belen 6, Lim 6, Sarmiento 4, Bernal 4, Arcilla 3, Español 3, Lagrimas 3, Magsalos 2, Transporto 0, Sarabia 0, Bungar 0,
Quarterscores: 24 - 13, 47 - 27, 61 - 45, 89 - 61
Championship:
STI COLLEGE SANTA ROSA (62)
Parala 18, del Rosario 15, Ferrer 10, Arzola 7, Maunahan 4, Almadovar 4, Mamaed 2, Jaspe 2, Salazar 0, Manipol 0, Lapidario 0, Batiquin 0, Marqueses 0
STI COLLEGE BALAGTAS (59)
Ablaza 13, Pepito 13, Pascual 11, Leguin 7, Asuncion 5, Crisostomo 4, Hernandez 4, Macapagal 2, Labastida 0, Guhiting 0,
Quarterscores:
10 - 12, 26-27, 45 - 42, 62-59
