Sacred Heart shuts down Hepa, FilAm Sports

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Sacred Heart seemed to have quickly solved the Kamaka Hepa puzzle.

The reigning NAASCU champ stifled the 6-foot-9 forward and beat FilAm Sports, 65-55, in their NBTC Division 1 clash at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay on Tuesday.

The Magis Eagles actually started the game slow, only scoring five points in the first quarter and 18 in the entirety of the first half.

But they turned up the heat in the second half, scoring 28 points in the third quarter and another 19 in the final frame, both more than their total output at halftime.

They also maintained their defensive intensity on their opponents, limiting them to less than 30 points in each of the two halves.

Travis Mantua and Eroll Pastor each had a double-double for Sacred Heart. Mantua tallied 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Pastor contributed 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Hepa, who had a 27-point, 13-rebound, five-assist, and seven-block showcase earlier Monday against San Beda, only made four points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks as FilAm Sports dropped its second straight game for the day.

In the other Division 1 plays, San Beda blitzed past AusPinoy, 68-44, and FEU-FERN pipped Durham, 82-66.

In Division 2 action, La Finns shocked St. La Salle, 79-78, St. Jude trumped St. Joseph's, 96-69, and Assumption Montessori beat Jesus the Loving Shepherd School, 77-71.

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