CMO-TRMH Green Archers win ‘Battle of the Greens’ over UV 95-85
By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO
TEAM STANDINGS
W L
CMO-TRMH DLSU 1 0
University of Visayas 0 1
*Goldstar Hardware x x
*Montaña Pawnshop x x
*Still playing at presstime
Games on March 17 (Thursday)
6:00 – 7:30 pm – TRMH – CMO (DLSU)
vs. Goldstar Hardware
7:30 – 9:00 pm – University of Visayas
vs. Montaña Pawnshop
March 18 (Friday)
6:00 – 7:30 pm – Goldstar Hardware
vs. University of Visayas
7:30 – 9:00 pm – Montaña Pawnshop
vs. TRMH – CMO (DLSU)
UAAP’s Dela Salle University, donning the colors of City Mayor’s Office-The Royal Mandaya Hotel, won the ‘Battle of Greens’ over Cebu collegiate champion University of Visayas, 95-85, last night for a rousing debut in the 2016 Araw ng Davao Invitational Basketball Tournament before a jampacked Davao City Recreation Center.
Ben Mbala and Jayman Gob imposed their will inside the paint as the Green Archers’ frontline had a field day rattling the rim with slams and their backcourt feasting on steals and feeds from a suffocating trapping defense the Green Lancers found no solution to.
The 6-foot-7 Mbala fed on bullet passes turned into vicious two-handed slams for most of his game-high 25 points while the 6-5 Gob stepped up big time with 13 points. King Archer Jeron Teng, playing before his father’s hometown for the first time, struggled to find his range early, getting his first bucket near the end of the first period and although he had 15 for the night including a triple in the fourth period, was still far from his true deadly form.
The Green Archers took a 24-23 lead after the first period on a booming triple down the buzzer by Thomas Torres. They slightly padded the lead to 42-39 before erecting their biggest lead at 17, 60-43, on a jumper by Teng midway in the third. The Archers carried a 78-59 cushion which Kirell Montalbo stretched to 21 with a triple from the corner, 81-50 to open the fourth period onslaught.
UV was paced by sweet-shooting 6-4 forward Joseph Santillan with 16 including three treys.
Presidential bet Mayor Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the four teams taking part in this year’s tournament sanctioned by the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) Region 11 headed by Regino “Boy” Cua. Defending champion Goldstar Hardware was playing multi-titled Montaña Pawnshop in the nightcap.
