DEFENDING  champion  University  of  Santo Tomas-Ironcon Builders  is  finding   ways  to  win

closely-fought games even    against the best in the NCAA.

Karim  Abdul  and  Jeric Teng made sure  that  trend continued against  fellow title  contender Jose  Rizal University last Wednesday night..

Abdul  finished with a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds and Teng added 14 points  to lead  UST-Ironcon to a  come-from-behind  89-85  win over  JRU in   the  MBL  Invitational   basketball  championship at the Aquinas gym.

Handled  by  multi-titled  coach  Pido  Jarencio and  managed   by  businessman-sportsman  Jimi Lim  of  Ironcon  Builders,  the Tigers  claimed their seventh straight win  in  this  tough, 10-team  tournament supported  by Smart  Sports, Cebuana  Lhuillier,  Dickies Underwear, PRC   Couriers and  Parola  Maritime.

The Tigers  have  also now  won  three of  their  four  matches  against NCAA  teams.

The Tigers  also defeated Letran  College, 77-60, and  Mapua, 59-55  earlier in  the tournament.

Up next is Lyceum of the Philippines-Yummy Hotdogs.

“We  want to win this tournament, which  is  really  part of our pre-season  build-up for the UAAP,” said   Jarencio, who also steered  the Tigers to the MBL title  against Foscon  Ship  Management last  May 2011.

The  Heavy Bombers  led 64-58 at  the  end of the third period behind the  hits of Nathaniel Matute, John  Byron Villarias and Ronnel Carampil.

But  Abdul teamed-up with Teng, Jeric Fortuna  and Kevin Ferrer  as UST-Ironcon  took control.

A basket  by  Decoy Lopez put JRU within striking distance at 85-87  with   still  35 seconds left, but Abdul sealed the  win with two more  free  throws.   

Overshadowed  by UST’s  triumph  was  Skyforce, which  outsteadied Wang’s Ballclub,  98-93, in  overtime  to strengthen its  hopes  for a  semifinals berth.

Ex-pros Jeff Sanders and Braulio  Lim  made  their presence felt  in  the  closing seconds as  the June Longalong-mentored Skyforce outscored Wang’s in the  fourth  quarter  and  the  extra period  to  complete  another  come-from-behind victory..

Sanders finished with 18 points and  Eugene Tan  added 14 points  for  Skyforce, which  wiped out  a 13-point deficit  earl y in  the fourth quarter.

Former Talk and Text mainstay Jonathan Aldave  led  Wang’s with 24 points, followed by ex-JRU standout  Raycon  Kabigting with 13.


The scores


First game

UST-Ironcon (89) -- Abdul 17, Teng 14, Ungria 13, Mariano 12, Ferrer 12, Fortuna 8, Pe 6, Bautista 3, Vigil 2, Lo 2, Sheriff 0, Tan 0, Haing 0.

JRU  (85) --Matute 22, Villarias 21, Carampil 12, Monserat 7, Lopez 7, Almario 6, Mendoza 4, Paniamogan 2, Salaveria 2, Camasura 2, Dela Paz 0.

Quarterscores:  22-13, 43-35, 58-64, 89-85.


Second game

Skyforce (98) -- Sanders 18, Tan 15, Florino 14, Caceres 12, Enrile 8, Lim 8, Navarro 7, Taganas 5, Cacha 4, Junio 3, Lima 2, De Castro 2, Sta Maria 0.

Wang’s (94) -- Aldave 24,  Kabigting 13,  D.Litonjua 11, Pinera 10, Lingao-Lingao 7, Regalado 6, Magbanua 6, Maconocido 4, Cuevas 4, Asoro 4, Bower 3, Baltazar 2, Reyes 0, R.Litonjua 0, Savado 0.

Quarterscores:  27-24, 42-41, 63-72, 87-all, 98-94.