We were lucky in our last two games but our luck ran out on us this time. And it had to happen against the worst team in the league. We were beaten in almost EVERY important statistical category. We let MIT’s bigs get away with torrid shooting in the second and fourth quarters and we lose badly, 81-76. And Atoy Co gets a nice early Christmas gift at our expense. MIT 81 Saitanan 18, Braña 14, Isit 11, Magsigay 9, Cantos 9, Eriobu 8, Ighalo 7, Estrella 5, Biteng, Gabo, Gonzalez, Magtoto 0 SBC 76 Dela Cruz 23, dela Rosa 17, Adeogun 8, Koga 7, Amer 7, Abarcar 5, Ludovice 3m Villaruz 2, Abatayo 2, Pascual 2, A. Semerad 0, D. Semerad 0, Sara 0, Mendoza 0. Team Stats: 3pt FG: MIT 3/10, 30%; SBC 8/25, 32% 2pt FG: MIT 30/54, 56%, SBC 19/44, 43% Total FG: MIT 27/69, 52%; SBC 27/69, 39% Free Throws: MIT 12/19, 63%; SBC 14/19, 74% Rebounds(D/O/Tot): MIT 34/11/45; SBC 25/14/39 Assists: MIT 23; SBC 17 Steals: MIT 3; SBC 2 Blocks: MIT 1; SBC2 Turnovers: MIT 13; SBC 15 Fouls: MIT 18; SBC 13 Fastbreak points: MIT 4; SBC 9 TO Points: MIT 20; SBC 16 2nd chance pts: MIT 10, SBC 7 Quarter scores: MIT : 13/22/18/28; SBC: 24/15/25/12 Ivan Ludovice and Baser Amer open up with consecutive threes and Rome dela Rosa scores on a fastbreak to give us an early lead, 8-0. However MIT counters with a 5-0 burst from Darrel Magsigay and Mark Braña, 8-5. We counter with an Adeogun bucket and a delaRosa baseline drive, 12-5. Ryusei Koga then gets sent in to speed up the game and buries a three, 15-5. But Jeson Cantos and Carlos Isit score four points apiece in an 8-0 run to close the gap, 15-13. We finish the quarter strong with 5 points from Rome, twin charities from Van Abatayo and an Art dela Cruz bucket off a helter-skelter situation to lead, 24-13. Utoy Abarcar and Kyle Pascual open up the second quarter for us with a split and an elbow jumper, 27-13. Braña and Ighalo counter with a bucket and split, 27-16 but Rome dela Rosa scores with a baseline floater, 29-16. MIT then makes a nine point run led by Andrew Estrella, Braña and Ighalo to threaten at 29-25. Art dela Cruz and Jessie Saitanan trade baskets, 33-29 and Ola Adeogun muscles in for two, but Braña again scores,37-33. Dela Rosa and Saitanan trade baskets to close the second with us still precariously ahead, 39-35. We were out-shot, out-assisted and out-rebounded. What was very bad was that Braña and Saitanan who had 8 and 6 points at the half, were shooting in-your-face jumpers or scoring at will against our front line. MIT jumps the gun on us in the third with baskets by Magsigay and Isit to take the lead, 39-40. Art dela Cruz and Baser Amer gives us back the lead, 43-41. Ola scores off a follow-up and-1 but Magsigay counters with a bucket and twin charities, 46-45. The next plays keep the score close as Koga, Adeogun and Abarcar weigh in for five points to counter buckets from Eriobu and Braña, 51-47. And for one shining moment in the last two minutes of the third, Art dela Cruz became The Triggerman. Art delaCruz buries his first three, 54-49, but Braña counters for MIT. Art then buries his second three and Koga and Abarcar increase the lead by a fast break bucket and charities before Eriobu scores for MIT, 61-53. And for good measure, Art buries his third three as the third quarter comes to a close, 64-53. BUT MIT will have ultimate glory in the fourth. Eriobu, Ighalo and Isit open up with a big run for MIT, 64-59 and Cantos gets a golden opportunity off a broken play that fell on his lap to score a jumper and-1, 64-62. Dela Cruz was not yet done with his torrid downtown shooting as he buries his fourth triple, but Isit counters with twin charities, 67-64. Coach Boyet Fernandez gambles by sending in Richie Villaruz with 6:25 left. Rome Delarosa scores twin charities off Magsigay’s fifth foul, 69-65. In the next play, Villaruz attacks the lane for a bucket, 71-65. Eriobu scores on a split, 71-66 to precede a disastrous run by the Cardinals in the last 3:25of the game. Big man Jessie Saitanan took over where Mark Braña left off by firing three consecutive wide open mid-range jumpers and a layup to put the Cardinals in the driver’s seat again, 71-74. Artdela Cruz ties the game with his fifth triple, but Saitanan again converts on a jumper, 74-76. Rome dela Rosa ties it again with twin charities, 76-all. We wilt in the last minute as we fall to turnovers and cold shooting. Isit gives MIT the lead for good with a jumper, 76-78. Art misses two consecutive three attempts and MIT takes advantage of our penalty trouble to score charities to close out the game 81-76. Art dela Cruz had an exceptional third quarter en route to 23 points on 5/8 shooting from three point land. However, his 2 point FG% was a low 4/12 clip. Rome dela Rosa followed with 17 on 6/12 shooting from the field and 5/5 from the line. Ola Adeogun did have good rebounding numbers (5 defensive, 8 offensive, 13 total) but had zero points in the fourth. Baser Amer had a bad night as he could come up with 7 points on a combined 3/9 shooting, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 turnovers. This was hands down our worst game. We were outshot, outrebounded, out-played and outhustled. We were used as target practice by MIT’s bigs Braña and Saitanan down the stretch and that 10-point burst by Saitanan late in the fourth killed us. They BOTH had double-digit points and rebound numbers against us. I will not say that that is an aberration. We let them stick jumpers in our face and push us around. Where was the defense? I know that we will definitely get that twice-to-beat advantage. All we need is to win either against Arellano on the 14th and/or Letran on the 21st. However, if we are to still aspire for the top spot, there are no ifs or buts: we must win BOTH. But we must WANT to get it. We must not let our fates be decided by someone else, or to chance. I still believe that we will succeed.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 12:53:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015