Eagles claw Herons in NAASCU

MANILA, Philippines - Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay thwarted University of Makati, 92-84, to join the opening day winners in the ninth National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) basketball tournament at the Astrodome over the weekend.

Jonathan Obar, Billy John Malana and Julian Miraflor combined for more than half of the team’s total output as the Eagles dominated the first half, 41-25, before holding off the Herons’ rally in the fourth.

Obar finished with 22 points, Malana added 20 points and Miraflor contributed 17 points for the Eagles.

Santos Moresco topscored for the Herons with 24 points, followed by Erwin Graza with 22 points.

Over at the Pasay Sports Complex, Informatics International College downed former champion AMA Computer University, 77-69,

The Icons leaned on Mario Leonida, Mark Angelo Montuano and Allan Sodusta to beat the Titans. Leonida finished with 20 points, Montuano had 16 and Sodusta added 10 points for Informatics.

Sander Salvador led the Titans with 21 points. Dennis Maravilla and Benedic Tan added 17 and 11 points, respectively.

Other opening-day winners were defending champion San Sebastian College-Cavite, which humbled Lyceum of Subic Bay, 82-68; and Centro Escolar University, which nipped five-time champion University of Manila, 81-79. Last year’s runner-up STI Colleges subdued coach Mark Herrera’s St. Clare College (Caloocan), 80-69; and newcomer Fatima University edged New Era University, 78-77, in overtime.