BIG START. Gab Cometa leads San Beda-Machateam beat the BGC Builders, 105-82, to open their Sportsclick AsiaBasket International Championship campaigns on a high note at the MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday (April 11, 2023). Comete scored 21 points, for San Beda. (Photo courtesy of AsiaBasket)
MANILA – College of St. Benilde (CSB) and San Beda-Machateam opened their Sportsclick AsiaBasket International Championship campaigns on a high note after walloping teams featuring Filipino pros on Tuesday at the MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
CSB zapped Sanzar Pharmaceuticals, 93-80, in the first game of the quadruple-header.
CSB quickly pulled away from Sanzar and even led by as much as 25 points in the third quarter before the latter cut down the lead to a more respectable one in the end.
Miggy Corteza led CSB with 16 points, two rebounds and two assists, while Alaine Cajucom added 14 points, seven rebounds and one assist.
After erupting for 33 points on Sunday night against Shawarma Shack Pilipinas, Shaq Alanes cooled down a bit as he was held to 4-of-15 field goals, although he still led Sanzar, now down to 0-2 in Group A, in scoring with 20 points behind 12-of-14 free throws.
Jeremiah Taladua had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds with three assists and one steal, while Angelo Obuyes also made 16 markers with eight boards, two dimes and one interception.
San Beda-Machateam, on the other hand, crippled BGC in the second half en route to a 105-82 blowout.
The Red Lions resolved Tosh Sessay and Mark Doligon's first half dominance and limited them in the final 20 minutes even as they outscored the Builders, 59-36, in the said timeframe to pull away.
Gab Cometa led San Beda-Machateam with 21 points, one rebound, two assists and one steal off the bench.
Jacob Cortez, the son of former Philippine Basketball Association star Mike, added 19 points, three rebounds, four assists and five steals.
Clifford Jopia contributed 12 points, four rebounds, and one block, while Pete Alfaro went for 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
Sessay led BGC with 23 points, going 10-for-13 from the field, 16 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block.
Doligon put up 17 points and one rebound, while Christian Buñag had 14 markers on 6-of-7 from the field, nine boards, one block, and one steal.
Meanwhile, the Southeast Asian Games-bound Harimau Malaysia made an early statement in AsiaBasket with a 115-66 rout of Filipino club MFT.
The Nationals quickly repulsed the Fruitmasters' 6-0 start and led by as much as 52 points before settling for the 49-point win.
Wong Yi Hou led Harimau Malaysia with 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting, four rebounds, and four steals.
Heng Yee Tong added 16 points, one rebound, two assists, and one steal, while Kuek Tian Yuan had 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Francis Abarcar made 16 points, three rebounds, and one assist, while Marlon Monte chipped in 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals for MFT.
The nightcap saw MBC Kirin moving up to 2-0 in Group B after edging Kuala Lumpur, 85-83. (PNA)
