FilOil: San Sebastian survives University of the East, evens record with OT win

(Updated 5:30pm) The San Sebastian-Recoletos Golden Stags crippled the University of the East Red Warriors, 89-87, in the FilOil Flying V Hanes Preseason Cup elimination round, Wednesday, at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

The Stags went on a 24-10 run bridging the latter two quarters to lead by four, 67-63. But the Warriors took advantage of San Sebastian's lack of an inside presence to keep close, only for Leo De Vera to nail a trey to tie the game with 24 seconds to play. UE came up empty on their next possession and narrowly escaped into overtime as De Vera missed a desperation tip-in.

Since Bradwyn Guinto and Mark Tano had fouled out, UE center Charles Mammie had free reign in the paint. The Warriors dumped the ball down to Mammie on each trip and he scored their first nine points, 87-82.

However, the Stags pulled the rug underneath them in the final minute, as CJ Perez converted an and-one play on the block to get San Sebastian within two with 48 ticks remaining. Gio Vergara then followed it up with a corner trey with 19 seconds remaining.

UE pushed the ball and Sumang tried to score off a leaner, but the shot rimmed out and fell out of bounds, granting possession to San Sebastian. The Warriors sent Perez to the line, but the Stags secured the rebound after Perez missed his second attempt, allowing them to dribble out the clock.

"Thank God," said De Vera, commenting on his game-tying triple. "Coach said that whatever we do in practice we just do in the game.

"Everybody has the opportunity to take that shot. The only time you're going to regret that shot is if you don't work on it," added Stags head coach Topex Robinson. "I told them I don't care if you miss those kinds of shots as long as we grow together. It's okay to make mistakes."

The Stags notched their second win of the tourney to improve to 2-2, while the Warriors suffered their second straight loss, to stand at 1-2, in Group B play.

San Sebastian held the advantage early after catching UE flat in transition, but the Warriors soon recovered to post a 10-8 advantage, capped by a Roi Sumang to Adrian Santos alley-oop. The Warriors then unleashed a 10-4 run in the last two and a half minutes, ending on consecutive baskets by Charles Mammie, to take a 20-12 lead after the first period.

SSCR began the second quarter by sending double- and triple-teams towards Mammie and pushed the ball off the ensuing turnovers. Jovit Dela Cruz and CJ Perez combined for eight points in the 15-4 run, to steal ahead 27-23.

The Warriors adjusted and tried scoring from outside, unsuccessfully, but got by on hustle plays by Chris Javier, 31-29. But in the last two minutes they went back to Mammie in the post as he and Sumang combined for an 8-2 run, and Sumang buried a trey over Perez at the buzzer to lead 37-33 at the half.

UE shot only 12-of-44 from the field after two quarters (27 percent) but compensated with a 10-of-16 mark from the stripe (63 percent). San Sebastian made 15-of-43 field goals (35 percent) but was just 2-of-7 from the free throw line (29 percent).


Triples by JR Sumido and Mario Bonleon kept the Warriors afloat in the third quarter, stretching their lead by as much as 13 points. Meanwhile, Mammie's presence frustrated most of San Sebastian's forays in the paint and the Golden Stags were forced outside, as Raffy Gusi made 2-of-3 after a fouled triple attempt, 53-43.

Jovit Dela Cruz made a trey with three and a half minutes remaining, and San Sebastian began to hit their stride. With Mammie on the bench, the Stags used pressure defense to fuel their transition attack. Dela Cruz combined with Gusi for nine points in a 14-5 run to close the third period trailing by just one point, 58-57.

Perez immediately gave the Stags their first lead of the game in the final period after consecutive drives, and a Leo De Vera three-pointer capped a 10-5 run with five and a half minutes to play, 67-63.

Curiously the Warriors didn't take advantage of the Stags' penalty situation and opted to overcome them from the outside, as Sumang and Sumido nailed triples to match those by De Vera, knotting the game at 72-all.

With three minutes to play, Mammie fouled out Stags center Bradwyn Guinto, clearing the lane for the Warriors. UE attacked the basket for a 6-3 swing, taking a 78-75 lead on a Sumang and-one with a minute and a half to play.

The Stags called a timeout and traded empty possessions, before De Vera buried his fourth three-pointer of the period from the top of the key, knotting the game with 24 seconds remaining. San Sebastian forced a jump ball after the next Warriors inbounds to snatch possession backwith 20 seconds left, but fortunately for UE, De Vera's last-second tip-in rimmed out to send the game into overtime.

Jaymark Perez narrowly missed a triple-double, tallying 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, in addition to two steals and two blocks. Leo De Vera added another 20 markers, 15 coming on three-pointers. He also produced eight rebounds, four assists and six assists.

Jovit Dela Cruz notched a double-double of 19 points and 12 boards, while Bradwyn Guinto scattered 10.

Roi Sumang and Charles Mammie had 23 points each to lead the Red Warriors, with Sumang adding six rebounds, nine assists and three steals and Mammie producing 16 rebounds and a block.

Jay-ar Sumido produced 14 points, while Chris Javier and Mario Bonleon each chipped in 12, along with a combined 17 rebounds. The rest of the team however produced just three markers all-in-all.

The Stags finished converting 41 percent from the field, while holding UE to only 33 percent shooting. They also out-ran their foes with a 23-12 difference in fast break points, and dished out more assists, 28-18. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

SSCR 89 - Perez 20, De Vera 20, Dela Cruz 19, Guinto 10, Tano 8, Gusi 6, Vergara 3, Rebollos 2, Balucanag 1

UE 87 - Sumang 23, Mammie 23, Sumido 14, Javier 12, Bonleon 12, Santos 2, Casajeros 1, Noble 0, Guion 0, Flores 0, De Leon 0, Galanza 0, Olivarez 0.

Quarter scoring: 12-20, 33-37, 57-58 78-78, 89-87