KEAN BACLAAN scored the last five points as National University (NU) rallied from 21 points down for a hard-earned 82-79 triumph over St. Clare College of Caloocan Sunday to claim a share of second place in Group II of the 2023 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup at Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The Saints were in complete control in the first half and were still ahead by two, 79-77, with 40.5 seconds to go until Baclaan’s runner over Babakar Ndong tied the tally.
Following a defensive stop, the Bulldogs again put the ball in the hands of their playmaker who rose for the difference-making triple over Ahron Estacio.
St. Clare still had 5.7 on the clock, but Baclaan, Steve Nash Enriquez, and Jake Figueroa stymied Jimboy Estrada and then Estacio who both didn’t get to put a shot up.
“Yung pagiging leader nitong dalawa, at least ngayon, nakita. Nag-step up talaga sila,” said head coach Jeff Napa after they dug themselves out of a 26-47 hole early in the second period.
Baclaan wound up with 19 points and three assists, while Enriquez also added 12 points and four assists of his own to help the Bulldogs raise their record to 5-2, tied with idle the University of the Philippines for the second spot.
“‘Di naman ako nag-worry. Alam ko naman yung capability ng team. Masama yung first half namin, pero sigurado akong makakabawi kami,” said Enriquez.
Estacio topped the scoring column for the Saints with 17 points to go along with five assists, while Estrada and Megan Galang contributed 16 points apiece. With back-to-back losses following a 4-1 start to the tourney, they dropped to solo fifth.
Taking their place in Group II’s top four is Far Eastern University which claimed a fourth consecutive victory, but not before averting disaster against Centro Escolar University for a 79-70 decision.
Five Tamaraws were in double-digits led by Patrick Sleat’s 16 points on top of five assists and four rebounds as the Tamaraws charged to a 30-8 opening salvo only to be at the wrong end of the Scorpions’ 32-11 counter in the second quarter.
“Nag-relax yung mga bata e, kaya nakahabol. Oo, nanalo kami, pero andami naming mali. At the end of the day, ang nagsalba na naman sa’min is yung depensa namin,” said head coach Denok Miranda after discussing with his assistants for 15 minutes even as they rose to 5-3.
FEU was clinging on to a four-point edge, 66-62, early in the final frame before its defense tightened while Sleat and Xyrus Torres took care of the offense in a 9-2 push for a 75-64 lead that put the game away. Now at solo fourth in the premiere preseason tournament backed by Filoil, EcoOil, Hanes, Akari, Reyes BBQ, BDO, Kalos Sportswear, and Molten, they look ahead to a crucial contest against National U on Friday.
CEU, meantime, suffered its seventh straight loss for a 1-7 card even after Ayodeji Balogun’s 18-point, 14-rebound double-double.
