By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Tiong San Blue Lions and the University of Iloilo (UI) Wildcats live another day and took down the twice-to-beat teams in the JB Amateur Basketball League (JB ABL) Season III ‘School Wars’ alumni division.
Tiong San got the better of the Hua Siong College of Iloilo Red Phoenix, 92-82, during the high school alumni finals while UI handed Western Institute of Technology’s (WIT) their first defeat of the tournament, 89-77, to force a rubber match in the college alumni finals.
With the goal of beating Hua Siong twice for the ultimate chip, the Blue Lions quickly buckled down to work and grabbed the early lead courtesy of their ball movement in the post.
Tiong San registered tons of their points from their on-point passing in the shaded lane and was also efficient with their three-point shooting.
Hua Siong responded with huge baskets and helped them retake the lead after Alvin Tolosa and their shooters got hot at the most perfect time.
When Tiong San needed a lift in the last quarter, versatile big man Stephen Curate answered the call and went unconscious from the shooting field.
Curate’s stop-and-pop jump shots and bail-out treys sparked Tiong San’s offense in the last six minutes of the game.
Unfortunately for the Red Phoenix, the Hua Siong gunners lost gas and failed to score in the last three minutes of the game.
Curate was awarded as the game’s TUF Barbershop player of the game and finished with a game-high 18 points.
With the win, the Blue Lions will force a rubber match against Hua Siong and became the only team that beat them in the whole JB ABL tournament.
Meanwhile, during the college alumni finals, the UI Wildcats had the same fate as the Blue Lions after taking down the WIT Tangerine who held a twice-to-beat advantage.
UI’s cohesion and crisp ball movement picked WIT apart early in the game and helped them establish a double-digit lead.
Despite an A-game from Jhepoy Balleza of WIT, the Tangerine squad still looked unsynchronized and was getting crushed by UI at the start of the third quarter.
WIT never recovered in the game and struggled to defend Bernard Tibor and Andy Ticzon who were firing from all cylinders for the Wildcats.
Aside from the duo’s explosion, UI’s role players also rose to the occasion with the likes of Zael Poral and King Belostrino sinking the much-needed baskets during their fiery third-quarter run.
WIT will have the chance to bounce back and regain their rhythm when they meet each other again on Wednesday for the do-or-die match.
