Jemar Cepriano of Iloilo blocks the shot of USJ-R’s Niño Paras. | photo from NBTC League
Cebu City, Philippines — Cebu’s other team in the Chooks to Go/NBTC League 2019 National Finals, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars, crumbled in the fourth period and fell to the Sta. Clarita International School-Iloilo, 75-89, on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Jaguars, seeded seventh in this competition, controlled the game for the first three periods and brought a 65-61 lead to the final canto.
However, the final period was all Sta. Clarita, which went on to outscore USJ-R, 28-10, in that stretch to get the victory and advance to the Supreme 16 stage.
The Baby Jaguars just could not get a handle on the ball as they committed a whopping 34 turnovers that proved to be the difference in this match.
The loss put to waste the 21-point performance of Nino Paras. Kevin Guibao, Kendrick Abarquez and Leandro Manloloyo all had 10 points and seven rebounds each for the Baby Jaguars.
Steven Tono paced Sta. Clarita with 26 points, four rebounds and three steals while Wilmer Dalumpines added 20 markers, six rebounds, two assists and four steals. /bmjo