CSB sweeps AsiaBasket group stage games after dropping Harimau Malaysia

Migs Oczon continues his stellar playmaking for the top-seeded Blazers. AsiaBasket

By Dugout Philippines

KUALA LUMPUR—The CSB Blazers completed a domination of Group A play in the Sportsclick AsiaBasket International Championship after shutting down Harimau Malaysia on Friday night at the MABA Stadium here.

In the day’s main game, CSB nearly shut down Harimau Malaysia in the second half to take home an 80-66 win that also handed the collegiate team the top seed for Group A.

With their home fans watching, Harimau Malaysia began the game strong, finishing the first quarter ahead, 29-19.

However, CSB began picking up the pace in the second quarter, outscoring Harimau Malaysia, 27-22, to trim the gap to five, 51-46, at halftime.

CSB turned the tides in the third quarter, going 22-10 in the said quarter to take a 68-61 lead entering the fourth.

The team then held Harimau Malaysia to just five points in the final frame, a three-pointer from Kuek Tian Yuan with 7:42 left and a layup from Ting Chun Hong with 1:34 to go, to complete the blowout despite failing to score in the final 3:42 of the game.

Miggy Corteza led CSB, which will face the second seed in Group B come the semifinals on Sunday night, with 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal.

Migs Oczon and Paul Turco each added 12 points while combining for 11 of CSB’s 20 steals in the game.

Ting led Harimau Malaysia, which dropped to 2-1, with 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block, although he too had seven turnovers.

The result gave Sanzar Pharmaceuticals a shot at stealing the second seed away from Harimau Malaysia.

Both teams are to play on Saturday night with Sanzar needing to win soundly to clinch the other semifinal spot for Group A.

In the first game of Friday action, San Beda-Machateam assured itself of a semifinal spot in Group B with a 110-80 rout of The Th3rd Floor-KalosPH-Cooly.

San Beda-Machateam quickly dominated The Th3rd Floor in the first half and raced to a 58-37 lead at halftime.

The Th3rd Floor found its rhythm in the third quarter and was just down 13, 63-76, entering the fourth.

However, San Beda-Machateam responded with a 34-point fourth quarter while holding The Th3rd Floor to only 17 to seal the rout.

Jomel Puno made 19 points, five rebounds, one assist, and two steals to lead San Beda-Machateam, which will also enter the semis as Group B’s top seed due to the quotient rule even if the Kuala Lumpur Aseel beat The Th3rd Floor also on Saturday night that could force a three-way tie with MBC Kirin at 3-1.

Clifford Jopia and Emmanuel Tagle each chipped in 15 markers with Jopia also grabbing 12 rebounds for the double-double.

Gerald Anderson fired 26 points on six triples, five rebounds, seven assists, and two steals, while Genmar Bragais added 24 points, four rebounds, three assists, and six steals for The Th3rd Floor, which fell to 0-3.

The Aseel kept their semifinal hopes alive with a 91-63 rout of the BGC Builders.

KL took advantage of BGC’s cooldown after a solid first quarter to set up the blowout.

BGC surged ahead early on and opened a 26-17 lead after the first quarter, but KL responded with a 30-14 second quarter to take a 47-40 lead at halftime.

KL then held BGC to only 23 points in the second half, seven in the third quarter, to pull away for good.

Louie Sangalang and Wee Yong Gan led KL, which can seal the second seed in Group B with a win against The Th3rd Floor due to a better quotient than MBC Kirin, with 23 points each as they made up for Jalen Robinson’s scoreless output a night after dropping 55 on San Beda-Machateam.

Martin Gozum paced BGC, which fell to 1-3, with 16 points on 4-for-6 three-point shooting, four rebounds, and one assist, while Tosh Sessay added 13 points, 13 rebounds, one block, and one steal. 

On the other hand, Shawarma Shack Pilipinas finished its campaign on a high note with a 71-69 win against the MFT Fruitmasters.

Box Scores:

First Game

San Beda-Machateam 110 – Puno 19, Jopia 15, Tagle 15, Alfaro 14, Payosing 14, Visser 6, Tagala 5, Andrada 4, Royo 4, Cuntapay 2, Jalbuena 0

The Th3rd Floor-KalosPH-Cooly 80 – Anderson 26, Bragais 24, Lepalam 10, Mendoza 4, Vanguardia 4, Navalon 4, Portales 3, Zamora 3, Flores 2, Talan 0, Sera Josef 0

Quarterscores: 28-19, 58-37, 76-63, 110-80

Second Game

Shawarma Shack Pilipinas 71 – Nzeusseu 18, Monteclaro 15, Aviso 13, Deles 8, Esguerra 8, Pasculado 4, Cave 3, Rojo 2, Rifarial 0, Tomilloso 0, Chiang 0, Guevara 0

MFT 69 – Monte 32, San 10, Mag-isa 6, Montserrat 6, Villablanca 6, Papa 5, Cabeguin 2, Castellano 2, Semacio 0, Cervantes 0

Quarterscores: 19-24, 43-46, 52-54, 71-69

Third Game

Kuala Lumpur 91 – Sangalang 23, Wee 23, Gan 13, W. Tan 11, G. Tan 9, Soong 5, Yap 3, Lee 2, Kwan 2, Robinson 0

BGC Builder 63 – Gozum 16, Sessay 13, Buñag 10, Moraga 7, Cawaling 6, Cabahug 6, Gonzales 5, Rodriguez 0, Ceñal 0, Huntley 0

Quarterscores: 17-26, 47-40, 64-47, 91-63

Fourth Game

CSB 80 – Corteza 13, Oczon 12, Turco 12, Carlos 8, Marcos 7, Cajucom 7, Sangco 7, Nayve 5, Jarque 4, Marasigan 3, Sumabat 2, Serrano 0

Harimau Malaysia 66 – Ting 25, Y. Wong 14, Kuek 10, Mahadevan 6, Liew 4, Lee 4, Dee 2, Heng 1, Ong 0, J. Wong 0, Ooi 0

Quarterscores: 19-29, 46-51, 68-61, 80-66

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