Baguio books NBTC national finals slot
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - Baguio leaned on a 17-0 fourth canto run as the city cruised to a 95-75 win over neighbor Benguet to win the regional finals of the National Basketball Training Camp Thursday at the Cordillera Career Development College gym here and book for themselves a finals slot in the NBTC Finals at the Mall of Asia on March 1824.
Big men Magnus Ines and Vincent John Maglasang took matters in their hand as they scored six and nine points in the final four minutes and 15 seconds of the game to tow the University of Baguio led Baguio squad that turned a 66-61 lead into an 83-63 advantage.
After seeing his team’s 66-57 lead down to five, the University of the Cordilleras’ top man Maglasang drained a twinner to make it a 68-57 lead. Then it was Ines turn in a seemingly alternating scoring chore for the twin towers.
Andrew Cacho, borrowed from Palarong Panglungsod champion Saint Louis Laboratory High School, stripped from Robin Amaya the ball and a lay-up made it 80-63 for Baguio, 5:54 left in the game.
Maglasang then completed a three point play to virtually put the game away with 5:25 to go.
Baguio never relented as vise like defense saw Benguet fumble for the ball.
It was an anti-climactic finish for Baguio as the 15 man squad lost Kelly Lugo with 4:11 to go in the third half that saw him pinned on the floor with Amaya on top after he boxed the CCDC guard after a well-executed play and the score at 52-41 in favor of Baguio.
The scuffle saw both squads clearing their benches resulting to double technical, Benguet getting two free throws and cut the deficit to six, 46-52. Lugo was thrown out of the game.
But Baguio hung tough to finish the quarter leading by nine, 66-57.
Ines led UB with 19 points, Cyril de Vera came in with 14, Cacho and Maglasang added 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Rey Dean Pacheco led an all-CCDC Benguet squad with 19, while Neil Ulep and Wilkeane Lee chipped in 11 each.
“The boys were just overwhelmed and were too nervous to play against Baguio,” said CCDC trainor Jun Rimando, as he tries to fashion another UBCCDC rivalry reminiscent of the 2006 BBEAL where the Admirals went on to win the 2007 and 2008 seasons, the first times Benguet won the college basketball.
Baguio went to the finals by beating Kalinga, 83-73, Thursday morning with de Vera scoring 14 and Maglasang and Cacho adding 12 and 11, respectively.
Benguet, on the other hand, proved too much for Apayao sinking the latter, 115-73. Lee top scored with 27, Edward Leygo made 14, while Pacheco and Amaya added 11 and 10, respectively.