Bulldogs bite, rip Pirates in one-sided show

MANILA, Philippines - Firing on all cylinders, unbeaten National University blew past Lyceum, 82-52, to keep its rampage going in the Filoil Flying V Pre-season Hanes Cup at the Filoil Flying V Arena yesterday.

The Bulldogs picked up their seventh win in as many games, moving a victory away from a clean sweep of the Group B eliminations heading into the quarterfinals. The Pirates suffered their fifth loss in six games.

Arellano U bucked the absence of coach Koy Banal and player Adam Serjue to suspension, overcoming a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to prevail over Jose Rizal U, 76-74.

NU drew production from 11 of the 14 players it fielded in, bannered by starting center Emmanuel Mbe, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds as the supporting cast chipped in 39 markers, led by Mark de Guzman’s 13 spiked by three triples.

“Our second unit responded to the challenge. They stepped up not only offensively but also defensively, especially in the second half,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano, patting on the back the likes of de Guzman, Jul-Ashri Ignacio (nine points), and Cedrick Labing-isa (eight) for backstopping first five Mbe, Bobby Ray Parks Jr (13), Denice Villamor (six), Jeoff Javillonar (four) and Gelo Alolino (four) in the rout.

The Pirates were still within striking distance in the first two quarters, maintaining a 16-17 deficit at the end of the first and staying 10 points adrift at intermission.

The Intramuros-based cagers even got to within seven early in the third, 34-41, before NU tightened the screws and with a 23-3 blast tore the game apart, 64-37.

“It’s a cliche but we weren’t playing good defense in the first half. I reminded the boys to get back to what we do best, let the defense create some open shots for us, and it worked. We’re able to score a lot of transition baskets that helped us pad the lead,” said Altamirano.

It also made life easier that NU connected on nine of their 26 attempts from beyond the arc (35 percent), with De Guzman firing three, Villamor and Labing-isa two apiece and Parks and Ignacio one each.

“We’re really trying to improve on our outside shooting because last season we were last in this aspect, “ the NU mentor added. “Rebounding is also a big concern as we gave up 23 offensive rebounds to Lyceum, which is not a big team.”

Chris Cayabyab came close to posting a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds while Floricel Guevarra had 12 markers and five boards for LPU.

The Chiefs gained from the heads up plays of Rocky Acidre (20 points laced by four triples, six assists, three steals), Ralph Salcedo (19 markers), and Fil-Canadian James Forrester (14 points, eight rebounds ) in wiping out a 53-65 deficit in the final canto.

AU assistant Eric Gonzales called the shots in lieu of Banal, who served the first of his two-game suspension for his involvement in the bench-clearing fracas that marred the Chiefs’ previous outing against St. Benilde.

“Prior to the game, I told the players they need to take charge in this game because this is not my team, this is their team,” said Gonzales, the former NU head mentor who was his usual animated self on the sidelines.

Banal, now in the US to attend a coaching clinic, had no specific instructions for his team. “Koy just told me to do whatever is necessary to win,” said Gonzales.

Playing catch up, the Chiefs unleashed a 16-4 bomb capped by Acidre’s five unanswered points to even matters at 69.

Salcedo sneaked a layup under two defenders to give the Chiefs a 71-70 cushion entering the final 1:40. Forrester, who’s under a lot of stress after his mother was diagnosed with cancer, banged in a layup before Nard Pinto split his free throws as AU took a 74-70 edge.  – With report from Roland Quilente