Red Cubs Survive Junior Archers' Rally In MMBL

This is why the game is played until the final seconds.

In a Metro Manila Basketball League match between NCAA Juniors champion San Beda and UAAP Juniors Final Four squad De La Salle Zobel, the Juniors Archers got off to a quick 19-17 first quarter lead after taking the game to the Red Cubs.

The Red Cubs, with many of their stars graduating from high school, looked mostly disinterested and were content to showboat. It took their second unit led by Norrish Decapia to get them back into the game in the second quarter. When that happened, the Junior Archers were unable to match the level of play and they fell behind for close to 20 points up to the halfway mark of the fourth period. The Junior Archers launched a scorching rally that saw them draw level.

In the final minutes of regulation, San Beda, behind Decapia and reserve Miguel Salcedo (who works as a statistician for the team but plays on Team C), carried the load for the Red Cubs. After John Ryan Gumtang put up SBC by three, 80-77, DLSZ’s Paco Rabat nailed a three from the right corner pocket with no time left to send the game into overtime.

In overtime, San Beda put in Niko Abatayo and Ranbill Tongco to join Decapia and gunner Adven Diputado to restore sanity to their offense. They staved of La Salle to win 89-87.

Decapia led San Beda with 18 points while the Red Lions-bound Diputado added 15.

Joaquin Banzon led DLSZ with 28 points while forward Alfred Sajulga added 14.

Weekend MMBL results (Jan 11 & 12):

SBC-C 69 vs. XAVIER-C 54

SJCS 54 vs. SBCA-A 57

SBC-B 87 vs. ISM-A 62

NU-A 81 vs. SBC-A 70

SSHS 65 vs. SBC-B 83

source: Philstar