Sunday, August 24, 2008 UC, SLU, UB win in BBEAL opener By Roderick Osis
THE city’s top three schools trounced their respective rivals to win in the men's basketball during the opening of the Baguio Benguet Educational Athletic League (BBEAL) at the jam-packed University of the Cordilleras Gym Saturday afternoon.
Haynes Acdong led the UC Jaguars in manhandling the PMA cadets to notch their first win in a lopsided 83–68 victory.
"I told the boys to play good in their defense and not to let their guards down because basketball is played in four quarters," Jaguars coach Florentino Luna in a post game interview.
Acdong and fellow Jaguars John Paul Jularbal and Jeremy Balagot lead a 16–0 spurt in the second quarter to put the cadets at bay with a 14-point lead at the end of the first half.
PMA proved to be a tough nut to crack when Karl Winston Cacanindin, Ronald Retulla, and Kendrich PIA scoring three triples to cut the deficit by 10 with 7:45 left in the third period.
But Acdong cannot be denied the win playing in his final year as a Jaguar scoring six consecutive points in the third quarter to put UC up by 12, 57–45 with 4:31 left in the third quarter.
PMA's Pia, with a hot hand in the three point arch, then unleashed a triple at the end of the quarter with UC up by 14 entering the final period.
PMA despite their high shooting percentage in the three point territory was unable to clamp down on Acdong inside the paint in the payoff period denying the cadets of their first win the 2008 edition of the BBEAL.
The jaguars put away the game against the cadets in the remaining four minutes of the ball game leading by 22 points, 74 -52.
In other games, powerhouse University of Baguio also pulled a win in the men's basketball against Pines City Colleges (PCC), 92-62.
Saint Louis University meanwhile nipped host UP Fighting Maroons, 76–41 to join UC and UB in the win column of the men's basketball.
In women's basketball, PCC notched their first win against UP, 57-23.
Meanwhile, early winners UC and UB will clash anew on Sunday, at 4 p.m., at the UB gym in the main game of the BBEAL basketball men.
UB will try to redeem itself to take an early 2–0 win-loss record after bowing to Cordillera Career Development College in an epic three game battle.
