FilOil: Pinto, Arellano shock San Beda

(Updated 5:04pm) John Pinto took over late for the Arellano University Chiefs, scalping the San Beda Red Lions, 67-66, in the FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup, Wednesday, at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

After three highly competitive quarters, both teams scrapped for extra possessions in the fourth period, crashing the offensive glass and coming away with steals. Kyle Pascual began to make his presence felt on both ends for the Red Lions and scored six to hold off Pinto and the Chiefs, 62-61, with three and a half minutes to play.

Pinto continued to apply pressure on San Beda, scoring off a put-back to answer a Rome Dela Rosa corner jumper, and fed Nico Bangga for a transition and-one to retake a 65-64 lead. Pinto later knocked down a fadeaway jumper in the lane to ice a 7-2 run with a minute to play, 67-64.

The Red Lions remained in the hunt as Baser Amer drove for two with 49 seconds remaining, 57-56, and had another chance to score off a Chiefs miss. Unfortunately Levi Hernandez stripped them of the ball with eight seconds remaining, forcing them to foul.

Arellano inbounded the ball to James Forrester at the halfcourt who was sent to the line with 5.4 seconds remaining on the clock. Forrester missed both and Ola Adeogun secured the loose ball, but they could not get a decent look as Art Dela Cruz heaved a long triple after time expired.

Pinto was the man for the Chiefs, scoring nine of his team's 12 points in the final frame. He finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Forrester notched 11 markers. Levi Hernandez, Ralph Salcedo, Nico Bangga and Allen Enriquez recorded six points apiece.

"Ang motivation namin going into this game was to make a statement, whatever happens. I believe this will dictate what we're going to face in the coming season," said Chiefs mentor Koy Banal. "The sad part here is we won over them by just one point, and now everybody will be ready for us. If you're gonna look at it very carefully, chamba yon. But I told the players you made this happen, and you have to be ready for what's going to come."

Banal anointed Pinto as the player his team will lean on in the coming NCAA season. "He's our go-to guy, our spiritual leader. But we cannot just rely on one guy. The system we're running will involve everyone. So hindi lang siya or si [James] Forrester o Prince Caperal. We want everybody to step up because you never know when your number's going to come.

"All the teams are anticipating you na ikaw yung magso-score," said Banal, addressing Pinto. "Now the moment you issue those assists... then he will have an opening."

Banal went as far as to say as Pinto reminded him of his former player Denok Miranda, who plays point guard for the Petron Blaze Boosters in the PBA. "Mas magaling na ata siya kay Denok ngayon eh," he said in jest, apologizing at the same time to Miranda.

The Chiefs vaulted past San Beda to 5-1, to trail only the NU Bulldogs (7-0). Meanwhile the Red Lions recorded a 4-2 card, and now trail Arellano by a game in Group A play.

Early in the game, the Red Lions pushed the ball and found easy baskets in transition. However when confronted with halfcourt situations, they settled for midrange shots that missed their mark. Meanwhile, Arellano found baskets inside thanks to good screen and roll action, and took a 9-8 lead thanks to a James Forrester trey.

San Beda got their first halfcourt bucket on a Baser Amer drive with five minutes to play. Both teams' offensive execution picked up and went tit for tat, knocking down several midrange jumpers. The Chiefs had a chance to end the quarter up by three but Prince Caperal air-balled a long two at the buzzer, 21-20.

John Pinto and Francis Abarcar traded buckets in the second quarter, but an Anthony Semerad trey gave San Beda some separation, 27-25, three minutes into the period. Stingy defense on the part of both teams kept things competitive, as Arellano never trailed by more than three points as they continued to attack the basket, 33-31.

The Chiefs had the final say of the quarter, limiting San Beda to just two field goals in the final six minutes. Forrester ensured Arellano closed the half strong, stripping the ball with three seconds to play followed by a one-handed flush at the halftime buzzer, knotting the game at 35-apiece.

San Beda converted 14-of-33 from the field in the first half (42 percent) against Arellano's 16-of-39 (41 percent). The Chiefs took better care of the ball, committing seven turnovers against the Red Lions' 11, for an 8-4 margin in turnover points.


Amer took charge of the game in the third quarter as he got his squad baskets around the rim and chipped in a trey to stun Arellano with nine unanswered points, 44-35. The Chiefs responded by gunning from the outside, as Forrester and Gio Jalalon nailed three triples in a 13-4 rally, knotting the game anew with four minutes to play, 48-48.

Both teams leaned on perimeter offense down the stretch, as Abarcar and Levi Hernandez made shots for their respective sides. But again the Chiefs nosed ahead, as Caperal converted two off a drop pass with three seconds remaining in the quarter, 56-54.

San Beda shot 27-of-62 from the field (44 percent), while the Chiefs made 30-of-73 field goals for the game (41 percent). Arellano though led in second-chance points (9-4) and turnover points (14-8).

Rome Dela Rosa top-scored for San Beda with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Baser Amer logged 13 points. Kyle Pascual, Ola Adeogun and Francis Abarcar added six points each. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

AU 67: Pinto 17, Forrester 11, Hernandez 6, Salcedo 6, Bangga 6, Enriquez 6, Jalalon 5, Caperal 2, Agovida 2, Margallo 2, Nicholls 0

SBC 66: Dela Rosa 14, Amer 13, Pascual 8, Adeogun 8, Abarcar 8, A. Semerad 7, Koga 4, Dela Cruz 2, Ludovice 2, D. Semerad 0, Abatayo 0, Villaruz 0, Mendoza 0

Quarter-score: 21-20, 35-35, 56-54, 67-66