CEU, San Beda, Miriam share WNCAA lead

MANILA, Philippines - Four-time defending champion Centro Escolar University, San Beda College Alabang and Miriam College notched their second straight wins to share the early lead in the 46th WNCAA senior basketball tournament at the St. Scholastica’s College gym over the weekend.

Host Philippine Women’s University and defending junior champion La Salle College Antipolo also barged into the win column while defending midget champion De La Salle Zobel likewise prevailed in its initial outing.

CEU drew a game-high 20 points from Janine Pontejos to turn back Rizal Technological University, 74-69. Cristine Caranto and Mary Ann Dologue backed Pontejos with 12 points each as the Lady Scorpions frustrated anew their finals victim last year.

Also going 2-0 are Miriam, which stopped St. Scholastica, 43-37, and SBCA, a 69-38 winner over Assumption College.

PWU bounced back from an opening-day loss to CEU with a 69-27 trampling of University of Asia & the Pacific for a 1-1 card in the league being supported by Gosen, Mikasa, Molten, Goody, Converse, Colgate, Sonak Trading, MJC Printing Press and media partners Inquirer, Bulletin, The Philippine Star, Sports5, Magic 89.9 and Chalk Magazine.

Winona Guallar and Princess Abigail Manzanares combined for 25 points to power LSCA past St. Paul College Pasig, 70-21, in the junior level while DLSZ, eyeing a fifth straight midgets crown, whipped Miriam, 51-30.

Showing the way in the juniors division with 2-0 cards are Angelicum College which rolled past St. Stephen’s High School, 55-44; Chiang Kai Shek College which overpowered St. Scholastica, 97-25; and St. Jude Catholic School which nipped SBCA, 49-48.

In junior volleyball held at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, defending champion Miriam made it 2-0 in Group A after a 25-18, 25-15, 25-20 victory over RTU, while Poveda shared the lead after downing SJCS, 25-22, 25-15, 25-19.

CKSC also totes a 2-0 card in Group B after surviving SPCP, 26-24, 25-15, 25-19.

Defending midgets champion SPCP outlasted Miriam, 16-25, 25-10, 25-20, for a similar 2-0 slate.