The Philippine Online Chronicles

The Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals won its season debut in the 86^th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) seniors' basketball tournament with a 79-65 beating against the University of Perpetual Help Altas yesterday at the San Juan Arena.

The Cardinals surge came in the fourth quarter, after a near melee in the eight minute mark of the fourth quarter.

With the Cardinals holding possession, Alta shooting guard Andrew Danganan broke a screen set by Cardinal point guard Andretti Stevens, which started the commotion. Stevens was seen tripping Danganan, while the latter retaliated by planting an elbow to the former.

This resulted in a near melee between the squads, with Cardinal reserves Narr Garay and Raymark Cabrera ejected for the game for entering the playing court. Danganan received a flagrant foul penalty one while Alta point guard Chris Elopre got a technical foul. Mapua's Stevens, forward Jason Pascual, and center Mike Parala were likewise called for a technical foul each.

After the 10-minute lull, the Cardinals went on a scoring surge, via a superior inside game from Pascual and Erwin Cornejo while hotshot Rodel Ranises upped Mapua's lead to 20 points with two triples.

Forward Mark Acosta led the Cardinals with 14 points and 12 rebounds while Danganan, a transferee from STI College, scored 23 points in his NCAA debut.

Chiefs crush Generals

In the second game, the Arellano University Chiefs erected an early and finished strong to repulse fellow probationary team Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 82-72.

Cagayan De Oro recruit John Mark Casino erupted in the second quarter to lift the Chiefs early in the game, scoring 11 points, which include three treys as the Chiefs erected a 41-26 lead in the first half.

The Generals came back in the third quarter dominating the paint with forwards Claude Cubo and Russell Yaya muscling their way to the basket. Yaya scored 11 of his 19 points in the third canto while Cubo eventually led the Generals with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Playing an effective 1-3-1 fullcourt defense in the payoff period, the Generals trimmed the Chiefs' lead to two points midway in the quarter, but a runaway layup by the league's smallest player, 5'1” playmaker Bimbo Anquilo, against last year's scoring leader Argel Mendoza sparked a furious Arellano run late in the game.

Celada then converted on two triples in the quarter to help the Chiefs, now coached by former Cardinal head coach Leo Isaac, enter the winning column. He led the Chiefs with 22 points and nine rebounds.

The scores:

MAPUA 79—Acosta 14, Cornejo 13, Ranises 11, Pascual 10, Stevens 6, Sarangay 6, Parala 6, Guillermo 6, Mangahas 4, Banal 3, Ighalo 0, Cabrera 0, Maniego 0.

PERPETUAL HELP 65—Danganan 23, Vidal 16, Ynion 7, Allen 6, Alano 6, Sumera 4, Arboleda 2, Elopre 1, Sison 0, Kintanar 0, Asuncion 0.

Quarters: 17-16, 35-36, 55-46, 79-65

ARELLANO 82—Celada 22, Ciriacruz 12, Casino 11, Anquilo 7, Acidre 7, Caperal 6, Lapuz 5, Zulueta 5, Advincula 4, Tayongtong 2, Del Rosario 1.

EAC 72—Cubo 20, R. Yaya 19, Mendoza 16, Santos 5, Lapitan 4, Chiong 4, Vargas 2, Monteclaro 2, L. Yaya 0, Diolanto 0, Villegas 0, Tuazon 0.

Quarters: 18-12, 41-26, 58-50, 82-72

NCAA logo from Wikipedia.