MANILA, Philippines – St. Clare leaned on a huge second quarter blast as it overcame Diliman College to sweep the Metro Manila elimination of the 2014 Philippine Collegiate Champions League at the Technological Institute of the Philippines in Manila Thursday.
Raymond Jamito fired 12 points while Marte Gil chipped in 10, but the two shone the brightest in the second quarter when they conspired in turning a five-point first quarter lead into a 35-20 advantage at the break.
The Saints, the reigning National Capital Region Athletic Association champions, then weathered repeated rallies by the Blue Dragons to finish with an undefeated record of three wins while the latter wound up with a 2-1 (win-loss) slate.
"It's a good feeling to survive this Metro Manila qualifier and topping this phase as well," said St. Clare coach Jinno Manansala, who played college ball for the Santo Tomas Tigers in the UAAP.
St. Clare and Diliman have actually advanced to the Luzon-Manila qualifying leg from Nov. 7 to 10 at the Faith Gym in Tanauan, Batangas following a 71-59 win over the Phl Marine School of Mariners and a 91-60 rout of the Phl College of Criminology, respectively, the day before.
But the Saints and the Blue Thunder went for the win, nonetheless, despite the non-bearing nature of the game.
"We went for the win because we're playing for pride and we want to go into our next game coming off a win," said Manansala.
St. Clare and Diliman, a team coached by former pro Rensy Bajar, will thus join National Athletic Association of State Colleges and Universities titlist Centro Escolar U, La Salle, Perpetual Help and Jose Rizal and the qualifiers of the South Luzon-Bicol and North-Central Luzon legs in the next leg.
Ateneo, which initially agreed to play and was supposed to play in that group, begged off at the last minute.
Meanwhile, action shifts to Naga City where teams like the UCCL, UB Brahmans, CEFI Cougars, CDDI Wildcats and STI battle it out at the Jessie Robredo Coliseum starting on Nov. 4 for a berth in the Luzon-Manila qualifiers.
The next day, the UNP Sharks, LSB Black Sharks and the SBOAA La Finns Lion Hearts battle it with hopes of advancing to the next stage at the Lyceum Northwestern University Gym in Dagupan, Pangasinan.
Earlier, PMMS leaned on a solid effort by Elvin Chan as it routed PCCr, 89-64, in a non-bearing contest to go out of the tournament with a bang.
The scores:
ST. CLARE 64 — Jamito 12, Gil 10, Ibarra 8, Acebron 8, Managuelod 7, Lunor 6, Dulalia 6, Redoh 6, Mendoza 1, Ambulodto 0
DILIMAN 58 — Enriquez 20, Diego 12, Quattara 12, Barranco 6, Protacio 2, Akpa 2, Agulon 2, Panogadia 2.
Quarterscores: 15-10, 35-20, 51-42, 64-58