MANILA—There will be no undefeated team in Season 15 of the Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association (ISAA) seniors basketball tournament.
ICCT Colleges fashioned out the upset of the season so far, suriviving the challenge of La Consolacion College-Manila, 74-72, to banner Saturday action at the Trinity University of Asia Gymnasium in Quezon City.
Rallying behind point guard Melvin Katipunan, the Blue Dragons waxed hot early, then fended off the furious fightback by the Blue Royals the rest of the way enough to notch back-to-back wins.
The Cainta-based squad caught fire right from opening tip, building leads as much as 18 points in the first quarter.
The defending champs then battled back beginning the second quarter behind Christian Alonzo and Kenneth Castillo, with the former unleashing a three pointer to trim the lead to just a basket, 74-72, with just 11 seconds left in the game.
But that was all LCCM could muster as it saw its three-game unbeaten run snapped to tie Immaculada Concepcion College atop the team standings at 3-1.
Katipunan finished with 18 points and four steals off the bench, while Dowilliam Triste added 14 for ICCT, despite only getting a combined 14 points from veterans Jun Reign Baculio and Noy Arimado.
Alonzo topscored for LCCM with a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds while Kenneth Castillo issued 17 markers off the bench.
In other seniors matches, Saint Dominic College of Asia engaged Philippine Women's University to a low-scoring affair before prevailing, 48-41.
Edward Daquioag returned to his trigger-happy self with 23 points, four rebounds, and two steals as the Pikeman stopped its two-game slide for an even 2-2 win-loss card.
PWU fell to 1-3.
PATTS meanwhile added another blemish to the side of University of Asia and the Pacific with an 83-45 thrashing.
Joshua Bongon led all scorers with 28 points and four steals on 12-of-15 field goal shooting as the Seahorses improved to 2-2 while keeping the Dragons winless in four outings.
In the juniors division, LCCM kept their unbeaten run intact, needing a huge fourth-quarter spurt to beat the Treston Golden Cubs, 90-81.
Alejandro Garcia powered his way to 23 points and 12 boards as the Baby Blue Royals outscored the Cubs 20-11 in the fourth quarter for the perfect end to the first round of the eliminations.
ALIAC also pulled through in the final quarter to shock the ICC Baby Blue Hawks, 65-63.
Basketball action will shift back to the LCCM gym on Monday with a four-game schedule. Treston (3-1) hopes to return to its winning ways when it meets PWU at 9:30 a.m., while ICC targets its fourth straight win against UA&P at 11 a.m.
LCCM then meets Season 15 hosts ALIAC (1-2) at 12:30 p.m., before their junior counterparts Baby Blue Royals tussle anew with Treston at 2 p.m.
THE SCORES:
1ST GAME (JUNIORS)
LCCM 90-Garcia 23, Sarangay 18, San Pascual 18, Saad 16, Lampert 8, Armendez 4, Lapada 3.
TRESTON 81-Agapito 25, Cabili 10, Canino 9, Sonido 8, Rayoso 6, Lajom 5, Salvatierra 5, Rivera 4, Ona 4, Guya 3, Marcelino 2, Baysa 0, Sumalinog 0, Guevarra 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 24-23, 47-47, 70-70, 90-81.
2ND GAME (SENIORS)
SDCA 48-Daquioag 23, Cruz 8, Azurin 5, Genos 4, Llagas 3, Busante 3, German 2, Emerciana 0, Latorre 0, Lira 0.
PWU 41-Mangupang 9, Luchavez 7, Sangalang 6, Santelices 6, Danganan 4, Oriza 4, Espiritu 3, Laban 2, Lozano 0, Ysibido 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 16-11, 26-20, 32-31, 48-41.
3RD GAME (SENIORS)
ICCT 74-Katipunan 18, Triste 14, Baculio 9, Martinez 9, Magno 7, Arimado 5, Mapua 4, Ducot 4, Magtulis 4, Santos 0, Borja 0, Hights 0.
LCCM 72-Alonzo 23, Castillo 17, Aloro 8, Balencia 8, Urmeneta 6, Ober 5, Antonio 3, Cordaño 2, Villapaña 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 28-10, 45-37, 61-56, 74-72.
4TH GAME (JUNIORS)
ALIAC 65-Resara 19, Cruz 16, Bulilan 12, Mañalac 9, Torrenueva 9, Onella 4, Allam 3, Cos 2, Bathan 1, Lozano 0, Ibarra 0, Dalaten 0.
ICC 63-Castillo 17, Llupar 8, Candido 7, Morales 7, Corpuz 6, Ochoa 6, Taguba 4, Espinas 2, Gomez 2, Sacro 2, Ressureccion 2, Guanzon 0, Malioat 0, Garing 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 15-21, 40-36, 53-54, 65-63.
5TH GAME (SENIORS)
PATTS 83-Bongon 28, Morada 18, Wahing 10, Butao 6, Jamon 5, Alvarez 4, Caraballos 4, Benitez 3, Lopez 3.
UA&P 45-Mercado 20, Batino 15, Palmares 4, Delos Santos 2, Manansala 2, Solis 2, Kimble 0, Zapata 0, Castillo 0, Ang 0, Armamento 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 26-8, 50-24, 67-36, 83-45.
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