The 3 teams vying for the finals of the 17 and Under Category faced off yesterday in the United Negros Basketball League 3rd Chairman’s Cup Negros, which is held in cooperation with Toyota Negros Occidental, at the Willy and Nolita Au Court, Bacolod Tay Tung High School.
Acster Marketing drew first blood, defeating New Energy Marketing/Raak Transport, 93-84, as Tobby Orbista fired 8 points, with Daniel Marc Sigaya and Paul Barcelona adding 6 points each to build a 31-21 opening quarter lead. Meanwhile, Jerry Binguan III and Kristian Melgar combined for 17 markers for Raak.
Binguan scored 8 points to lead a New Energy Mktg. rally in the second quarter and temporarily grab the lead at 37-35 with 5 minutes left in the quarter, before Acster responded to take a slim halftime lead at 48-47.
Barcelona and Kyle Barrieta then conspired for 11 and 10 points, respectively, to extend the lead of Acster to double digits, 76-62, going to the final quarter, where the balanced offense of Acster Mktg countered the offense where Ceasar Bigcas shot for 10 markers and Binguan contributed 5 points, which was enough to keep New Energy Mktg. at bay and seal the victory.
Barcelona scored 24 points, Orbista – 18, Barrieta – 12, Anacito Docto III – 9, Alfred Ysulan – 8, Luis Sagansay – 7, and Jovel Thomas Gonzales – 6.
Binguan finished with 25 points, Bigcas – 20, Melgar – 11, and Justin Magbanua – 10.
Three hours later, Raak Transport had to gather their wits to face University of St. La Salle
USLS led the first quarter 18-15, behind Troy Newman, John Paul Cabayao and John Carl Lamonte.
The Raak offense however shifted to another gear over the next 3 quarters, as it slowly extended the lead with every passing quarter. New Energy Mktg. held a 40-28 lead behind Binguan’s 9 points, while Brent Yanong, who did not suit up earlier, had 11, while Bigcas added 8 to post a 63-41 lead at the end of the third quarter. The game ended with a final score of 79-49 in favor of New Energy Marketing/Raak Transport.
Binguan paced the victors with 21 points, Yanong – 16, Bigcas – 15, Vince Maro – 12, Nathaniel Eriman – 6.
Gabriel Bañas bannered USLS with 9 points, Lamonte scored 8, while Cabayao, Newman, and James Padilla supplied 7 apiece.
USLS will play Acster Mktg at 1 pm tomorrow, and the top 2 teams will advance to a 1-game final on Sunday at 2 p.m.
In the 21 and Under Category JJP UNO-R will face Bracket B top seed University of St. La Salle at 10 a.m, while STI-West Negros University will cross paths with Colegio San Agustin Strived at 10:30 a.m. The winners will then face each other in the Sunday finals at 4 p.m.*
