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| Ivan Saldajeno |
MANDALUYONG--Team Punks lighted up in the second half to avenge its loss last year to Team Hype with a 103-95 win in the 2nd Slam Rising Stars Classic at the Gatorade Hoops Center on Sunday night.
La Salle commit J-Boy Gob and Ateneo's Jolo Mendoza sparked the Punks' rally in the last 20 minutes to complete a comeback from an early double-digit deficit to tie their series with Hype, 1-1, in the annual showcase of 24 of the best high school basketball players in town.
Gob and Mendoza, who were named the MVP's of the game, each scored 16 points, combining for 21 of the Punks' 54 second half points. Gob added seven rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal, while Mendoza had three assists and a steal. Chiang Kai Shek's J.V. Gallego led the Punks with 18 points, 14 coming in the first half.
Gob's fellow La Salle commit Andrei Caracut scored a game-high 19 markers, grabbed four rebounds, and two assists for Team Hype. Arellano High School's Carlo Abadeza, who replaced the injured Marc Diputado, chipped in six points, six rebounds, and an assist.
The Nieto Twins, Mike and Matt, were not in the game as the graduation ceremonies of the Ateneo De Manila High School took place on the same day.
Box Scores:
Team Punks 103-Gallego 18, Gob 16, Mendoza 16, Bienes 10, Banzon 9, Comboy 8, Tio 8, Melecio 7, Tungcab 7, Abatayo 3, Aguirre 1
Team Hype 95-Caracut 19, Estrella 14, Dyke 12, Rivero 11, Dela Cruz 11, Fajarito 9, Abadeza 6, Navarro 5, Webb 5, Go 3, Panlilio 0
Quarterscores: 17-29, 49-58, 75-69, 103-95
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