Cardinals inflict Maroons 2nd loss
Mapua dealt UP its second straight defeat with a 79-76 escape while Far Eastern U toppled Arellano U, 74-65, at resumption of the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan yesterday.
Exie Biteng scored on a broken play while Eric Jabel hit two free throws as the Cardinals weathered the Maroons endgame fightback to launch their campaign in Group A.
The Muralla-based looked headed for a cruise after Lawrence Victoria came away with a floater for a 75-67 lead with 63 seconds left in the contest. But the Maroons, with Juan Gomez De Liaño burying back-to-back triples, pulled to within two, only to be stopped on their tracks by Biteng and Jabel.
Akhuetie scored on a three-point play with no time left to close out the scoring as UP slid to 0-2 following a 76-82 defeat to La Salle in Saturday’s opener.
Biteng and Jabel scored 19 and 13 points, respectively, while Victoria added 12 markers for the Cardinals.
Mapua led for majority of the contest and like the Archers, the Cardinals clamped down on Akhuetie in defense, throwing him single, double, and at times a triple coverage.
Still, the former Perpetual Help Nigerian center finished with 30 points and 18 rebounds while Paul Desiderio added 13 markers and de Liaño chipped in 12 points.
Later in the day, the Tamaraws dominated early, 49-24, but the Chiefs recovered and rallied to within, 59-64, with five minutes left in the match.
But Hubert Cani drained in a triple to frustrate the Chiefs. Cani led FEU with 15 points while Richard Escoto and Brandey Bienes scored 10 markers apiece.
Arellano’s 18-year old Fil-Am rookie Maui Sera-Josef led the Chiefs with 15 points.