John Arellano made a side jumper with three seconds left while rival Kenneth Lontoc bungled his turn at the buzzer as Batang BBL-UB posted a 62-60 win over B-MEG-SBC last weekend in the Nokia National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) D-League at the St. Bridget College Gym in Batangas City.
Overconfidence got the better of Batang BBL early as the team trailed, 31-55, in the first three quarters before Jonel Sangalang, Joseph Elnar and Arellano combined for 25 of their teams’ 27 fourth quarter points to foil B-MEG-SBC, which even tied the game at 58-all (1:22 left) on Karil Panopio’s three-pointer and freethrow.
Arellano scored on jumper for a 60-58 Batang BBL-UB lead before Lontoc retaliated with two charities for the game’s final tie at 60. Coach NR Aguda sued for time and with 12 seconds left, set up Arellano’s go-ahead basket for the third win in this under-18 tournament backed by Nokia Philippines and TAO Corporation under the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas headed by Manny Pangilinan and executive director Noli Eala.
B-MEG, which dropped to a 1-1 card, was led by KR Panganiban’s 11 points in this tournament in the tournament also supported by San Miguel Purefoods Company, Smart Communications and Burlington.
Smart-La Salle posted its second win in three games via a 79-66 tally over Ulam King –STC, which dropped to its third loss in a row. Despite leading the game all way, Smart-La Salle still needed Thele Oloto to score six unanswered points underneath in the last three minutes for the final breakaway after Ulam King closed in a 60-62.
Oloto topscored for his team with 14 points and was supported by Patrick Calingasan, Deo Guda and Emerson Dimailig, who chipped in 11, 13, 13 points, respectively.
The Nokia NBTC D-League is envisioned to be a feeder program for varsity squads and teams catering to leagues such as the UAAP, NCAA, Philippine Basketball League, Philippine Basketball Association and the Liga Pilipinas.
From only 29 clubs, the league field has grown to 108 teams backed by commercial and local government units. The tournament will have an inter-city, regional and national finals, the latter of which is set in May at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
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