The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Robert Andaya
ATENEO hardly worked out a sweat in beating Uratex, 96-63, to open its title campaign on a high note in the 2023 Bola.TV AsiaBasket Las Piñas Championship at the Villar Coliseum in Las Piñas City.
Kainoa Ballungay, Mason Amos, Jason Credo and Joseph Obasa carried the fight for the Eagles, who pulled away with strong offensive game in the final three quarters.
The 6-7 Ballungay, who was named “Best Player of the Game”, finished with a double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Katipunan-based Eagles.
Amos contributed 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal, and Credo and Obasa added 11 points each.
Obasa also grabbed 11 boards.
Mike Harry Nzeusseu topscored with 23 points, seven rebounds, and two assists for Uratex, followed by Bam-Bam Gamalinda with 16 points and five rebounds.
Sharing the limelight were Far Eastern University, which subdued over Sanzar Pharmaceuticals, 81-75; Letran College, which edged San Beda, 85-84; and Corsa Tires, which outsteadied over La Salle-College of St. Benilde, 89-78.
Xyrus Torres and Cholo Anonuevo shared scoring honors for FEU.
Torres led the with 24 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and one steal, while Alforque added 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal.
The other top performers for FEU were Patrick Sleat, who had 12 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and one steal, and Cholo Anonuevo, who had 11 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and one steal.
Adeshokan Odou made his presence felt for Sanzar with a monster game of 28 points and 24 rebounds.
Fellow world import Salomon Kone added 16 points, 20 rebounds and two assists.
The Letran-San Beda match was more exciting.
Kurt Reyson played the hero’s role as the Knights rallied from 10 points down in the final five minutes to roll back the Red Lions.
Reyson finished with a game-high 19 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and one steal for the Knights.
Pao Javillonar added 14 points, eight rebounds, one block, and two steals.
Reyson’s heroics included back-to-back triples that sparked the Knights’ comeback against the Red Lions.
He also made two pressure-packed free throws with 44.3 seconds left to give Letran an 85-84 lead over San Beda.
The Red Lions still had a chance to win, but RC Calimag’s layup attempt was blocked by Javillonar.
Ronrei Tolentino also blew his own follow-up layup as time expired.
Bryan Sajonia paced San Beda with 25 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two blocks
Tolentino had 17 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, and three steals in a losing effort.