Lions, Patriots remain undefeated in Fr. Martin cagefest

MANILA, Philippines – The San Beda-A Red Lions and the Manila Patriotic School Patriots turned back separate foes Sunday to stay unbeaten in the senior and junior divisions of the 14th Fr. Martin Division 2 Cup basketball tournament.

The Red Lions banked on the big games of transferee Clint Doliguez and Van Abatayo in the final stretches to put away the La Salle Green Archers, 83-77, in the senior side at the St. Placid gym of the San Beda College-Manila campus in Mendiola, Manila.

The Patriots drew crucial baskets from Russell Aniban in the closing seconds to get past Hope Christian High School with a come-from-behind 73-70 verdict in the junior section.

Jeremer Cabanag tallied a game-high 27 points for Red Lions, who stormed to their third straight win in Group B, and after sending the Green Archers to their second defeat in three games.

Aniban drilled in 19 points, with his layup and split charity in the last 2.3 seconds capped the Patriots’ rally from eight points down early in the fourth period.

A timely triple from Abatayo followed by penetrations from Doliguez allowed the Red Lions to pull away with a 10-2 blast in the last five minutes, widening a 62-59 edge to 11, 72-61.

Last Saturday, Ramil Tero fired 20 points while Gabe Capacio added 16 for the Green Archers, who prevailed over University of Perpetual Help-Molino, 66-47, at the Arellano University gym in Legarda, Manila.

In other games, Far Eastern University won over Letran-A, 85-75, to hike their record to 2-2 in the 12-team Group B senior action, while Mary the Queen College-Pampanga smothered Colegio San Agustin-Binan, 91-47.

In other high school games, National University repulsed Adamson, 91-49, while John Bergantino made 18 points on Letran’s 91-58 rout of CSA-Binan, and Arellano defeated San Benildo, 94-89.

The top four finishers in the senior division advance to the quarterfinals in this cagefest supported by Vinas Optical, according to Commissioner Robert de la Rosa.