San Lorenzo downs Diliman
Colegio de San Lorenzo may be lacking in manpower, but not in its desire to win.
Backups James Alvarado and Charles Callano stole the thunder down the stretch yesterday as the Griffins repeated over the Diliman College Blue Dragons 62-57 to gain a share of the lead in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL) Season 2 at the Olivarez College gym in Sucat, Parañaque City.
Alvarado and Callano combined for 25 points, nine of them coming in the final canto where they helped Colegio de San Lorenzo stay in control and foil Diliman College’s late fightback.
Their big production could not have come at a more opportune time for the Griffins, who found a way to overcome the absence of pro-bound center Jon Gabriel and a game-long offensive struggles by hobbling Benin forward Soulemane Chabi Yo due to a sprained ankle.
“Life won’t be any easier without Gabri- el. Soulemane is also hurting. That’s why I told him to focus on rebounding and playing defense. Let your teammates do the scoring,” said CdSL coach Boni Garcia, who got 12 points and 15 rebounds from the athletic 6-foot-6 Chabi Yo.
Gelo Sablan, also coming off the bench, dished out an all-around performance of seven points, nine rebounds and five assists, enabling CdSL to get back on track and join idle defending champion Centro Escolar University on top of the field with similar 7-1 marks.
Senegalese big man Adama Diakhite had another solid showing of 19 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four blocks while Jerico Mondala added 14 markers but Diliman College still came up short that put an end to their five-game winning streak.
In the other match, host Olivarez College repeated over Technological Institute of the Philippines 80-70 for its fourth consecutive victory.
Backups Jose Navarro and Chris Lalata combined for 28 markers while Dwight Saguiguit has 12 points, all coming from beyond the arc, as the Sea Lions did enough to foil the Engineers and improve their mark to 6-3, tightening their grip on the fourth spot.
—JEROME LAGUNZAD