NCAA All-Stars beat UAAP counterparts, 83-78

It was the same kind of score as that of last year's All Star game but the winner this time was different. The NCAA All Stars defeated their UAAP counterparts, 83-78, during the 2007 All-Star Game at The Arena in San Juan City Saturday afternoon. Ironically, the 83-78 tally put on by the two squads for the game was the same tally that was registered when the UAAP All Stars of head coach Pido Jarencio defeated the Sam Ekwe-backed NCAA All Stars last year. Letran Knights guard RJ Jazul was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the event, especially after he made crucial baskets in a third quarter run that helped the NCAA team get the lead after being down by a large margin at the half. Jazul, who failed in his bid to win the three-point shoot-out in the side events earlier in the day, was presented a trophy by UAAP President Fr. Ermito de Sagon, of host UST, UAAP secretary-treasurer Felicitas Francisco also of UST, Paul Supan of the NCAA Management Committee and representatives by Samsung Philippines for bagging the MVP plum. The NCAA team led by head coach Frankie Lim was also presented with a trophy for winning this year's All-Star Game. Joining Lim, who led the San Beda Red Lions to back-to back NCAA crowns, were Jazul, Bryan Faundo, Rafael Jazul, Rey Guevarra of Colegio de San Juan de Letran; James Ryan Sena and John Marion Wilson of Jose Rizal University; Kelvin de la Peña of Mapua Institute of Technology; Jason Ballesteros of San Sebastian College; Mark Kong of University of Perpetual Help System DALTA and Martin Urra Jr. of College St. Benilde. The UAAP All-Stars of head coach Franz Pumaren, who led De La Salle to its seventh UAAP title in the last 20 years, were bannered by players Mark Borboran and Marcy Arellano of University of the East; Ford Arao and Severino Baclao of Ateneo de Manila University; Japs Cuan and Dylan Ababou of University of Santo Tomas; Marcel Baracael of Far Eastern University; Edwin Asoro of National University; Roel Hugnatan of Adamson University and rookie Mike Gamboa of the University of the Philippines. The UAAP All Stars led at halftime with a score of 45-35. The lead even went to as high as 16 points at 51-35, behind baskets by Asoro, Tang and Casio with eight minutes left in the third canto. But the one-two punch of Jazul and Menor suddenly came alive to uncorked a 30-9 run in the last seven minute to take the lead at 65-60 ending the third quarter of play. The first seven minutes of the fourth period was a nip-and tuck affair as both team scored on transition baskets and outside shots. The NCAA All Stars had a slim four-point advantage going to the last three minutes when a four-point swing courtesy of a free-throw by Borboran and a three-point basket by Asoro tied the count at 77-all with 1:30 left in the fourth period. However, the 6'8'' man-mountain Ekwe proved to be the big difference for the game after he scored four-straight points to put the NCAA All Stars back on top at 81-77, 40 seconds remaining. His presence inside the shaded lane was also a big boost to the NCAA team after he blocked two shots coming from big men Arao and Asoro, to help his team in the defensive end. Pumaren immediately called a timeout to map out a plan for them to score on the three-point range. However, UE's Mark Borboran was fouled while attempting to take a jump shot sending him to the line. He missed both of his freebies but got his own offensive rebound thus sending him again to the line. Borboran, who went 2/6 from the charity lane for the game, sank his first freebie but missed the second, to put the score at 81-78, with 27.6 seconds left. Though they were down by three points, the UAAP All Stars had the chance to steal the game after San Beda teammates Ekwe and Menor went 0-4 from the lane after being fouled by their defenders. However, the UAAP team missed on that golden opportunity when hurried three-point shots coming from TY Tang, Casio and Dylan Ababou, failed to hit the mark in the last 20 seconds of play. Ekwe put the final tally at 83-78 after he scored on two freebies with no time left. The UAAP All Stars behind defensive player of the year Asoro, La Salle guards Casio and Tang, Ateneo's Arao, UE's Borboran and FEU's MacMac Baracael got to a hot start as they led early in the first quarter at 11-6. However, the NCAA All Stars managed to tie the count at 13-all with key baskets coming from the Ekwe, Mapua's Kelvin De la Peña and Letran's Jazul. The UAAP All Stars finished the first quarter with a five-point advantage at 22-17 due to better defense. The UAAP All Stars missed the services of 2007 MVP Jervy Cruz as the University of Santo Tomas's (UST) do-it-all center is training with the Harbour Centre-backed Philippine team in South Korea together with veterans Patrick Cabahug of Adamson and Jonathan Fernandez of National University. - GMANews.TV