Stags post vengeful victory over Knights
Games Tomorrow (The Arena, San Juan) 2 p.m. – JRU vs Arellano 4 p.m. – Perpetual vs Mapua
San Sebastian completed what it failed to do in the first round – beating league leader Letran. Ryan Costelo outfoxed his counterpart Mark Cruz at crunch time, scoring a near-impossible basket to give the Stags a thrilling 89-87 victory over the Knights last night to kick off the second round of the NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.
With San Sebastian facing the prospect of absorbing another painful loss, the 5-foot-6 Costelo came to the team’s rescue by making a high-looping scoop shot over the outstretched arms of Kevin Racal and Jomar Sollano to make it 88-87 with nine seconds remaining.
The 5-foot-5 Cruz, who carried the Knights in the second half on his way to scoring 30 points, tried to put to waste Costelo’s heroics but the ball slipped out of his hands as he was about to go for a crosscourt pass.
Michael Calisaan, who finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds, split his two foul shots with three ticks left to seal the deal for San Sebastian as Rey Nambatac missed a desperation shot at the buzzer.
The win was only the third for San Sebastian in 10 games.
“Ang motivation ko sa kanila, hindi na talaga dapat matalo kasi naniniwala ako na sa amin talaga yung game na yun,” said San Sebastian Coach Rodney Santos, referring to the Stags’ 82-76 loss to the Knights in the first round.
In that game, the Stags lost a 13point fourth quarter lead behind the clutch heroics of Cruz.
Letran dropped to 8-2, allowing defending champion San Beda to forge a tie for the lead after PBA-bound Art Dela Cruz scored a career-high 30 points in the 96-84 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College in the first game.
Dela Cruz 30, Soberano 20, Sara 14, Tankoua 11, Mocon 5, Koga 4, Sorela 4, Sedillo 4, Cabanag 2, Tongco 2, Reyes 0, Bonsubre 0.
Munsayac 20, Hamadou 18, Diego 14, Mejos 12, Pascua 8, Onwubere 6, Bonleon 3, Morada 3, Estacio 0.
Quarters: 14-16; 44-35; 70-60; 96-84.
Calisaan 27, Ortuoste 19, Guinto 15, Costelo 13, Fabian 7, Bulanadi 1, Bragais 0, Santos 0, Pretta 0, Vera 0, Capobres 0.
Cruz 30, Nambatac 12, Racal 12, Sollano 9, Quinto 8, Luib 5, Balanza 4, Balagasay 4, Apreku 2, Calvo 1.
Quarters: 15-22; 39-41; 63-62; 89-87.