Bulldogs, Tamaraws dominate

UAAP’s National University (NU) and Far Eastern University (FEU) pulled off similar dramatic wins on Tuesday and set up what could be an explosive semis encounter with their NCAA counterparts in the 7th Philippine Secondary Schools Basketball Championship “Rain or Shine Cup” at the SGS gym in Quezon City.

The NU Bullpups rode on the heroics of center Karl Kevin Quiambao to eke out a 76-75 win over the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs while the FEU Baby Tamaraws outlasted the Chiang Kai Shek College Blue Dragons, 68-62, to advance to the KO semis stage.

In the semis, NU will face reigning titlist San Beda University while FEU takes on former NCAA champion La Salle Greenhills.

The Red Cubs continued their rampage with a 93-55 thumping of the Xavier School Golden Stallions behind a well-balanced attack anchored on Yukien Andrada, Winston Ynot and Anfernee Estacio.

The La Salle Greenies likewise followed suit by pulling off a 76-73 win over the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers through the stellar showing of Inand Val Fornilos and Vincent David in the annual tournament bankrolled by Poly Gloss, Freego, Dickies Underwear, Hapee Toothepaste, IronCon Builders, MEC Networks, Blackwater Sports, and Che’Lu Bar and Grill.

The champion in the event also backed by Molten, by Masumax Food Supplement, Cherrylume, SUMO GI Sheets, Molten and Choi Garden gets with the runner-up taking

The top seeded Bravo from Ormoc City survived Raymund Goco twice, escaping with a 6-1, 3-6, 10-6 victory in the boys’ 16-U finals and a 6-7(2), 7-5, 10-8 thriller for the 18-U crown in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.

The No. 4 McKenzie, on the other hand, routed top seed Bless Coderos, 6-1, 6-2, in the semis then ripped No. 2 Corazon Lambonao, 6-3, 6-1, to snare the girls’ 16-U diadem and lead the rash of reversals in the girls’ division. The rising star from Australia, whose mother is a Cebuana, held off Mia Gemida, 7-5, 6-2, in the 18-U finals of the event put up by Palawan Pawnshop.

Gemida, also from Ormoc, earlier upended top seed Lambonao, 6-2, 6-1, for the 14-U title while Thalia Suson, Louise Paliwag, Mitch Largo and Goco shared center stage in the penultimate leg of the annual nationwide circuit sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilsoin, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg.

No. 4 Suson, from Liloan, Cebu, stunned top seed Paliwag, 7-5, 7-5, to pocket the girls’ 12-U plum; Paliwag, from Valencia, Dumaguete, took the 10-unisex title with a 4-2, 4-5(3), 4-0 victory over Juvels Velos; and