BAGUIO CITY – University of Santo Tomas and St. John Institute scored contrasting wins against separate rivals to share the early lead with similar 2-0 cards in the 2012 Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas National under 16 at the University of Baguio gym.

The Growling Tigers outplayed hard fighting International School for Better Beginnings, 61-58, and the Bacolod-based St. John crushed St. Agnes, 95-45, sending the Bicolanos from Albay to their second successive loss after vowing to St. Clare, 51-77, in the opener.

University of Visayas bounced back from its 91-99 overtime loss to St. John Institute by beating La Union College of Nursing and Arts, 84-71, tying the San Fernando-based squad at 1-1 cards, in the company of Holy Child School of Davao, St. Clare and ISBB.

The Davaonos, who lost their first game to LUCNAS, 59-70, dumped St. Clare, 73-58, and prevented the Caloocan-based from scoring a double whammy after its girl team notched its second win at the expense of winless Jose de Venecia Sr. National High School, 90-54, at the Cordillera Career Development College gym in Benguet.

UST was held by ISBB and needed the late heroics of Paulo Corre and Rean Rupert Berdijo to preserve the second win and foiled the Lucena-based team from securing its second win after beating Claret School, 77-51.

ISBB had a chance to send the game in overtime, but Glenn Gilbert Ninobla missed a triple from the left wing in the last 17 seconds, enabling UST, which beat host University of Baguio, 73-67, escaped with the win.

St. John Institute decided the game right in the first period, 27-7, to clinch its second consecutive win.

“I didn’t expect to end the game that way because this was the first time we played against them. I’m happy we won,” said coach Dexter Dy, who says he prepared the team for two months.

All the 12 players fielded by coach Dy scored with Kirell Brandon Montalbo topping the list with 20, followed by Eldrie Go 18, and Juan Diego Montoya 10.

Twelve teams are entered in boys and five in girls in the nationwide grassroots program organized by SBP headed by its president and PLDT-Smart chairman Manny V. Pangilinan and supported by MVP Sports Foundation, Philex Mining, Smart, Summit, Energen, and Molten.

Sacred Heart clobbered St. Bridget, 91-79, in the other boys’ game.