NCAA All-Stars outgun UAAP counterparts in charity match

The best and the brightest cagers from the NCAA outgunned their UAAP counterparts with a surprisingly trouble-free 76-60 victory Saturday in the seniors’ division of the Bantay Bata 163 UAAP-NCAA All-Star Games at The Arena in San Juan City. The NCAA drew strength from its two MVPs — season MVP John Wilson of Jose Rizal and finals MVP Jimbo Aquino of San Sebastian.

Wilson was a workhorse as he had 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals while Aquino drained all but two of his 17 points in the second half, lacing it with five booming triples to power the NCAA cagers to the win. "They showed why they’re MVPs," said NCAA coach Ato Agustin, who engineered San Sebastian’s title sweep of San Beda in last month’s NCAA finals, referring to the prolific pair of Wilson, who earlier won the three-point shooting contest, and Aquino. Far Eastern U’s Reil Cervantes paced the UAAP squad with nine points while UAAP finals MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini of Ateneo and reigning UAAP season MVP Dylan Ababou of Santo Tomas contributed eight and seven points, respectively. The NCAA did it in the absence of San Beda’s American behemoth Sudan Daniel. Earlier, the UAAP’s Joel Banal and Ateneo high school phenom Ael Banal topped the father and son shooting contest by amassing 70 points. The duo nosed out the pair of Koy and Jonathan Banal of Mapua with 66 points and San Sebastian coach Ato Agustin and son Jolo with 62 points. It was a double victory for the NCAA delegation as its juniors' team edged the UAAP All-Stars, 85-84, behind the game-long brilliance of Arthur dela Cruz. A vital cog in the San Beda Red Cubs’ recent title conquest in the NCAA, dela Cruz bullied his way to 17 points on an impressive seven-of-11 shooting clip. The son of former PBA star Art spiked his solid effort with two rebounds, two steals and a block. Another San Beda standout, Alfonso Gotladera, provided inside muscle by ramming through 14 points on an equally solid six-of-10 clip while Louie Vigil, the reigning league MVP, had 12 points, nine caroms, an assist, three steals and two blocks. St. Benilde’s Ervin Flores added 10 points, including the go-ahead basket in the dying seconds that quashed the last hopes of the UAAP All-Stars to turn things around. Terrence Romeo, the MVP in the other league from Far Eastern U, spewed 19 points but he missed 18 of 24 shots he attempted while Kyle Neypes of Santo Tomas, Gwynne Capacio and Nico Elorde of La Salle scattered 17, 17 and 15 points, respectively. - GMANews.TV