St. Clare, Fatima arrange NAASCU title showdown

Games Monday:
(Philippine Buddhacare gym)

9 a.m.­— St.Clare vs OLFU (J)
10:30 a.m. — UMak vs OLFU (W)

DEFENDING champion St. Clare College of Caloocan and Our Lady of Fatima University are in the finals of the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NAASCU).

Top seed St. Clare outplayed Enderun Colleges. 71-59, while No. 2 seed, Fatima overpowered AMA University, 67-51, in their semifinal battles at the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City 

The Saints of NAASCU president Dr. Jay Adalem and coach Jinino Manansala relied on the troika  of Drick Acosta, Megan Galang, and Ndong Babacar to secure the win and march to the finals for another year.

Acosta finished with 15 points,  including 3-of-4  from deep, four rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes of action for the Caloocan City-based Saints, who are hoping to  add another trophy to its collection.

Galang added 12 points and Babacar had a double-double performance with 11 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Luiz Tapenio chipped in with nine points and six rebounds. 

Christian Malano led Enderun with  21 points on 4-of-13 shooting and six rebounds in 26 minutes of play in a losing effort. Jalen Garcia added 15 points.

OLFU capitalized on the dynamic duo of Mamadou Toure and Gab Gotera to end AMA’s giant-killing run.

Toure led the scoring with 18 points on 5-of-6 shooting and seven rebounds in 27 minutes of action for OLFU coach Ralph Rivera.

Gotera contributed 17 points, and Marvel Jimenez added 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

Reed Baclig finished with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, along with five rebounds in 34 minutes of play, while  Christian Camay contributed a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds for AMA of coach Mark Herrera.

Earlier, St. Clare lived another day after defeating Our Lady of Fatima, 86-78, in the junior division, 

Chris Ian Dumancas, Racine Kane and Klint Manzano combined for 53 points to lead the SCC’s victory.

Dumancas finished with 21 points, and four steals, Kane added 19 points and nine rebounds and  Manzano contributed 13 points and nine rebounds.

Keith Russel Bencalo paced Fatima with 21 points, followed by Asi Paul Placido with 16 points.

In the women’s division, University of Makati outplayed OLFU, 62-49, to a do-or-die game on Monday. Christina Mae Carcasona displayed an impressive all-around performance with 14 points, six rebounds, six steals, three assists, and two blocks, while Tcamy Densing contributed 12 points, nine rebounds, and six assists for Makati. Rhegelina San Jose led the scoring for Fatima with 17 points and 12 rebounds, followed  by Micah Cielo Bausing with 15 points and five rebounds and Gift Jive Ferrer with 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

In other results, New Era University overwhelmed Philippine Christian University, 69-51 in the juniors division; and  Enderun trounced PCU, 85-34 in the women’s division. ROBERT ANDAYA