Claim 7th win in row: Streakin’ Knights shuffle Cards

Games Aug. 12

4 p.m. – Arellano U vs St. Benilde

6 p.m. – San Beda vs San Sebastian

MANILA, Philippines - Mark Cruz put in another stellar performance, turning in a double-double job to power Letran past a listless Mapua side, 87-68, as the Knights kept their streak going in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

The diminutive Cruz stood tall as he erupted for 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds while issuing five assists and four steals for the Knights, who kept the charging San Beda Red Lions (6-1) at bay with their seventh straight victory.

It was Cruz’s second straight solid game after torching the Arellano U Chiefs with a season-high 25 points in a 67-57 romp last Thursday.

“He played huge for us again, he was just all over the court,” said Letran coach Caloy Garcia.

Raymond Almazan, who leads the MVP statistical race, also turned in another sterling effort with 13 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks while skipper Jonathan Belorio, slowly getting into shape coming off an injury, chipped in 12 markers.

Ranged against the lowly Cardinals, the Knights seized control early, pumping in 25 points while holding their rivals to just eight markers in the first quarter.

They were never threatened from there.

In the other game, Emilio Aguinaldo College fended off a late charge by an undermanned Lyceum side as it scrambled for an 83-76 win to tie its victim at 2-5.

Nigerian Noube Happi bounced back from a series of mediocre performances by coming through with season highs 25 points and 20 rebounds as he powered the Generals to the hard-earned victory.

Already playing without Dexter Zamora and skipper Andrei Mendoza, who were suspended for unsportsmanlike conduct in a 69-75 setback to the St. Benilde Blazers last Thursday, the Pirates also lost Shane Ko, Daniel Garcia and John Azores to fouls and Isso Mbomiko to cramps while Mark Francisco and Joseph Ambohot were ejected for disqualifying fouls.

Francisco was tossed out for punching EAC rookie Sidney Onwubere in the stomach in the fourth quarter while Ambohot was thrown out for hitting Onwubere on the head.

The Cardinals just had no answer to the Knights’ awesome shooting and full-court trapping, resulting in easy, fastbreak opportunities.

Mapua, down 30-47 at the turn, actually surprised Letran with an 11-4 run to start the third period but Belorio hit a triple, sparking another Knights’ counterattack that made it 68-53 heading to the final quarter.

Mapua, which was led by Kenneth Ighalo’s 17 points, fell to its fifth straight loss and sixth overall against a win.

Meanwhile, the league takes a two-week break to give way for the FIBA-Asia Championship slated from Aug. 1-11. Games will resume on Aug. 12 with Arellano U taking on St. Benilde and San Beda clashing with San Sebastian, also at The Arena.