SSC Stags upend Falcons; Archers trounce Maroons

MANILA, Philippines - Calvin Abueva essayed a near triple-double as San Sebastian tripped Adamson, 78-68, to finally barge into the win column after three games in the Filoil Flying V Pre-season Hanes Cup at the Filoil Flying V Arena yesterday.

Determined to get his team out of a slump, the reigning NCAA MVP fired 29 points, including nine in the fourth quarter that triggered the Stags’ breakaway, to go with 15 rebounds and eight assists as SSC rebounded from losses to Jose Rizal and National U.

“It was tough for us to recover coming from two straight losses and playing three games in five days. But it was a good opportunity to sharpen our saw,” said SSC coach Topex Robinson.

Meanwhile, league commissioner Ato Badolato announced more sanctions for parties involved in the bench-clearing melee that marred Wednesday’s game between St. Benilde and Arellano, with AU coach Koy Banal getting suspended for two games and Blazer Carlo Lastimosa banned for one.

Badolato explained that review of the tape supposedly showed Banal throwing a punch at CSB’s Rhoele Maconocido while Lastimosa purportedly took a swipe at the Chiefs’ mentor. CSB’s Ralph Deles and AU’s Adam Serjue, who were assessed disqualifying fouls after the fracas, netted automatic one-game suspensions for the infraction.

Abueva led over a big 19-8 run for SSC, scoring back-to-back baskets to spark the game-swaying exchange he himself capped with a feed to Dexter Maiquez who knocked it in for a 76-66 lead.

“He (Abueva) went overboard in our last game, being too eager to bounce back. He was calm and collected today and maybe now he knows the difference between him calm and collected and him being outrageous,” Robinson said.

Ian Sangalang also posted another double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds and finished with two blocks for the Stags, who dominated the boards, 49-36, and had a plus 7 in second chance points.

In the other game, La Salle U held its ground in the payoff period to fashion out a 64-50 win over University of the Philippines for a 3-1 card in another intense, physical contest that saw the ejection of three players.

DLSU’s Thomas Torres and Alfonzo Gotladera were thrown out in the 2:42 of the second quarter for joining in a fray that started when teammate Joshua Webb hit UP’s Alvin Padilla on the elbow.

Padilla himself did not finish the game as he was slapped an unsportsmanlike foul for whacking DLSU’s Almond Vosotros on the head in the fourth, his second infraction for the match. Badolato said with his “two fouls with intent to harm,” Padilla will be meted a one-game suspension. – With report from Roland Quilente

“I think it was a good win because despite missing some (injured) players in our lineup and we lost two more (Torres and Gotladera) in this game, we’re able to pull it off,” said DLSU coach Gee Abanilla.

“We controlled some parts of the ballgame, it’s just that committed too many turnovers. If we can cut down on turnovers a little but we would have been more efficient,” he added.

Jovet Mendoza and Almond Vosotros had 13 points apiece while Norbert Torres posted a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds as DLSU solidied its hold of third spot behind unbeaten San Beda (7-0) and No. 2 Ateneo (6-1).

Chris Ball and Mark Lopez took scoring cudgels for UP (1-4) with 10 and nine, respectively.

Roider Cabrera scored 19 points and seven rebounds, while Jericho Cruz added 13 markers for the Falcons, who also got 12 points from Rodney Brondial and 10 markers from Ryan Monteclaro.

Cabrera buried back-to-back triples to put the Falcons ahead at 63-61 with 5:18 remaining in the fourth. But Bobby Balucanag made two free throws then Sangalang completed a three-point-play as the Stags surged ahead, 66-63. – With report from Roland Quilente