ST. JOHN'S Institute Juniors squad posted a 95-84 win against Jollibee 90/91/92 while SJI Milo Team unleashed a third quarter assault for an 87-64 victory against Macho Squad 2003/04/05/06 in the recent match-up of SJI Alumni Basketball Friendship Cup at the Msgr. John B. Liu Activities Center.
Archie Co and Bol Manaloto led Jollibee to a 30-24 first quarter advantage, even as Sean Nicolas Weehansuh, Allen Dionela and Jappy Cuaycong combined for 20 points for the Juniors. Jollibee concentrated its offense on its frontline of Manaloto, Christopher Javelosa and Toffel Tan, who combined to deliver a total of 17 second quarter points as the lead ballooned to 55-40 at halftime.
Marcelino Tan and Brian James Kho combined for 11 points for the Juniors.
In the third quarter, a 10-5 run behind Carl Suarez's aggressive inside incursions allowed the Juniors to cut the lead of Jollibee at 60-50. Teammate Weehansuh scored seven of the next nine points for the Juniors to cut the lead further to three points.
Manaloto and Javelosa's undergoal stabs were answered by a Weehansuh free throw and a follow up by Daniel Ong for a 66-62 Jollibee lead.
Weehansuh's back-to-back triple sandwiched a Manaloto layup that tied the game at 68-all with 30 seconds left in the quarter. The juniors finally made it on top at the end of the quarter, 69-68, on a Dionela free throw.
Jollibee grabbed the lead anew at 75-73, but the absence of diminutive Jollibee guard Peewee Demonteverde told heavily in the crucial stages of the payoff quarter, as Jollibee succumbed to the pressure defense of the Juniors.
Turnovers by Jollibee were translated into an 8-1 run led by the six straight points of Lou Richard Cuaycong and a breakaway layup by Theodore Ballesteros for a 81-76 lead.
Manaloto's back-to-back hits answered a Ballesteros and Dionela layups as 90/91/92 remained within striking distance at 85-80 with 3:27 left.
But a 10-0 run highlighted by a Dionela's putback, Cuaycong's jumpshot and back-to-back trey by Weehansuh sealed the second win for the Juniors squad.
Meanwhile, the trio of Kirrel Brahndon Montalbo, Emil Japson and Carlo Sian combined for 17 points to give Milo a 21-10 first quarter lead.
Macho's Christer Tabino drilled in three triples, while Mark Vasquez's six points cut the lead to 35-29 by halftime even as Joshua Chua had 10 points for Milo.
SJI Milo squad pulled away in the third quarter, 65-37, as they relied on their hustle and speed, backed up by a good outside shooting, to offset the height and heft advantage of the Macho team.
The trio of Toper Co, Juan Diego Montoya and Leland Dusaban combined for 23 points while Michael Sian scored six of the eight points for Macho.
Toper Co, Montoya and Joshua Chua paced SJI Milo team with 12 points apiece, while Montalbo added 10 points.
Macho is led by Michael Sian with 17 points.
Games today will be between Phoenix 99/2k against Batch 96/97/98 in the first game and QPP against Batch 2009 in the second game. (With report from Stephen Tan)