FilOil: CEU Scorpions shoot down SWU Cobras in the second half, claim third place

(Updated 4:04pm) The Centro Escolar Scorpions, reigning NAASCU champions, turned it on in the second half to break what was a close game wide open, winning third place in the FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup at the expense of the Southwestern University Cobras, 73-58, Sunday at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

In a battle between the NAASCU champions and the CESAFI runners-up, CEU emerged victorious after another strong third quarter performance as they outplayed their counterparts, 26-11, to go up by as much as 15 points. The Scorpions finish a storied first season in the FilOil by sweeping Group C and going home with the third-place trophy, just below the UAAP and the NCAA champions, who are set to play each other in the succeeding game.

Mon Abundo received Player of the Game Honors after recording 19 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Samboy De Leon again put up a game-defining performance with 22 points and nine rebounds, 15 in the second half, as his side limited their opponents to just a total of 25 points after halftime.

"Nung sa una nahirapan pero naka-depensa naman kami. Nag-focus po kami sa depensa kasi doon po talaga kami nanalo,” said Scorpion Samboy De Leon.

The Scorpions lorded over the glass with a 50-33 rebounding disparity and shot 11 three-pointers off 27 attempts.

"We're not supposed to be in the Final Four, it's a dream come true,” said CEU coach Egay Macaraya.

The Scorpions started without Joseph Sedurifa, Rod Ebondo, and Alfred Batino, opting to start Jason Opiso, Aaron Jeruta, and Melo Banua. The teams were caught in an early tie at 9-9 as Abundo fired from downtown, while Sanjo's interior play anchored SWU’s offense. Man-to-man defense from the Cobras nullified CEU's shooters, while the Scorpions limited space for Sanjo, though a triple from Adam Mohammed gave his side a slim 18-16 lead after the first quarter, even if CEU went 4-of-5 from deep.

The defensive showdown continued in the second quarter, though the Scorpions knotted the game at 20-20 as the Cobras suffered from four early turnovers by the 7:50 mark. SWU failed to score for six minutes while CEU failed to score for four and a half, until Jeruta netted a triple, 23-20. Sanjo scattered six the rest of the way, while Rodrigue Ebondo missed all his attempts as the Cobras led 33-28 at halftime.

Sanjo already tallied a double-double at the half with 13 and 11, flanked by Mac Tallo and Adam Mohammed with eight and seven for the Cobras respectively. Abundo posted 11 for his side at the half  while De Leon added seven off nine shots.

CEU poured in seven straight points coming out of the locker room, while SWU drifted into another cold spell, going scoreless for four straight minutes until Daryl Goloran completed a put-back to regain the lead for his side, 36-35. The Cobras led only by as much as three, as the Scorpions' shooters clicked, with Sedurifa and De Leon both hitting triples to give their squad a 44-39 lead with three minutes remaining. Goloran went down after taking an elbow to the head and De Leon swished in another triple to headline a string of eight straight markers for the Scorpions, as they led by as much as 13 points in the third frame.

Entering the final canto, CEU was up 54-44.

The men in silver and pink padded their 10-point third quarter lead as they wedged 15 points between them and the Cobras, owing to six straight charities off De Leon, whom Bernie Bregondo fouled on two successive attempts from downtown. Jovannie Luz converted off a fast break basket to break the double-digit barrier, 64-44, though Ebondo drew the hoop and the harm off an alley-oop play to push the lead back to 12, 67-55.

Anton Pardo hit a triple to cut he lead down to nine, 67-58, but Abundo and Ebondo sank consecutive triples to ice the game, 73-58.

When asked if this meant CEU would get respect, Macaraya said, "Hopefully, kasi medyo maganda naman yung season namin. We proved we can compete at any level. Kung may talo kami, one-point lang. I guess to all the teams right now, CEU is known to be a very competitive team."

Sanjo registered 17 and 15 in a losing cause while Mohammed and Tallo combined for 27. The Cobras put up 33 points in the first half but compiled only 25 in the second half. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

CEU - De Leon 22, Abundo 19, Ebondo 8, Jeruta 7, Sedurifa 6, Batino 6, Opiso 3, Casino 2, Mutombo 0, Banua 0, Amil 0

SWU - Sanjo 17, Mohammed 16, Tallo 11, Goloran 6, Pardo 3, Bregondo 2, Luz 2, Parker 1, Aboude 0, Racho 0

Quarter scoring: 16-18, 28-33, 54-44, 73-58