LeBron Nieto scores 20 to lead Agila-Ateneo past LSCA

MANILA, Philippines – Agila, a club team from the Ateneo Grade School, crushed La Salle College of Antipolo, 98-30, in the 12-Under Division of the Cherifer Tangkad Sagad Basketball Tournament of the Smart Breakdown Basketball Invitationals.

LeBron Nieto, the youngest brother of current Ateneo Blue Eagles Matt and Mike Nieto, scored 20 points and hauled down 13 rebounds while adding three assists, one steal and one block in 17 minutes of action. The Nieto children’s father, Jet, played for Ateneo as well, winning a UAAP juniors championship in 1985 and two seniors crowns in 1987 and 1988. But he opted for a career in medicine instead of basketball.

Teammate Derek Domangcas, the one-two punch of Agila, added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the win.

 “The two boys showed tremendous effort on both ends of the court that explains their double-double output,” said head coach Patrick Borjal of Nieto and Domangcas’ performances. “Hopefully, they will show the same effort and hunger in the semifinals.”

Agila climbed to third place in the nine-team standings with a 6-2 record while La Salle Antipolo crashed to its eighth consecutive defeat.

In perhaps the weekend’s shock result in this grassroots program, St. Anthony School Manila shocked La Salle Greenhills A, 68-63, in the 15-Under division.

Biboy Delloro led the way for the Singalong-based Saint Anthony School with 16 points.

The win allowed SAS to climb above .500 with a 4-3 slate while LSGH-A tumbled to 2-5 in their division.

In other matches, Xavier’s 10-Under team crushed Jubilee Christian Academy, 97-38.

LSGH’s 10-Under squad hammered Ateneo, 62-48. Blue Ballers defeated OLOPSC, 85-77, in the 17-Under category and Ateneo piped LSGH 62-56 in the 15-Under Division.

In the inaugural Women’s 25-Under Division of BBI, Adamson defeated UP, 60-50, while CEU crushed PUP, 80-61.