FILOIL FLYING V SPORTS
WITH THE end of their ill-fated campaign in the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup nearing, the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras focused on finishing strong and did just that as they grabbed their second victory of the competition after they bested the Lyceum Pirates, 60-53, yesterday at the Arena in San Juan City.
Melvin Holper, the younger brother of former PBA player Mike Holper, came off the bench and scored 12 points and had seven rebounds. Congolese Boko Mupungu had a double-double of 11 markers and 10 rebounds peppered with three blocked shots. Jan Auditor was the other player to reach double-figures with 10.
Jun Luz, starting in place of the struggling JR Parker, stepped up and contributed seven points, five rebounds and four assists in 21 minutes of action. Two-time Cesafi MVP Mac Tallo managed just five but orchestrated the offense with aplomb with eight dimes.
The Cobras got off to a fast start and posted their biggest lead of the game at 46-29, late in the third after a flurry buckets.
SWU also held its ground and kept the Pirates to just seven points during that stretch to lead, 49-31, heading to the final frame.
Lyceum came alive in the fourth and scored seven straight at the onset to pull to within 11, 38-49. The Pirates trimmed SWU’s some more and came to within six, 49-56, after a triple by Wilson Baltazar.
But time ran out on the Pirates’ comeback attempt to give SWU its second win in seven games. The Pirates, meanwhile, fell to 1-7.
The Cobras play their last game of the competition today when they battle two-time NAASCU champions Centro Escolar University Scorpions.
THE SCORES:
SWU 60 – Holper 12, Mupongo 11, Auditor 10, Luz 7, Goloran 6, Tallo 5, Bregondo 4, Acuno 3, Parker 2.
LPU 53 – Nguidjol 11, Gabayni 10, Baltazar 10, Alanes 8, Bulawan 7, Mbida 2, Lacastosantos 2, Ayaay 2, Soliman 1, Sunga 0, Marata 0, Caduyac 0, Taladua 0.