COLEGIO de San Lorenzo-V Hotel found an unlikely hero in Argie Baldevia to subdue Wang’s Ballclub-Asia Tech, 74-69, for its third straight win in the 2017 MBL Open basketball tournament at the PNP Sports Center in Camp Crame.
Baldevia hit two back-breaking three-point shots in the final two minutes and finished with 23 points to power the Blue Griffins of sports patron Jimi Lim and coach Boni Garcia to victory over the hard-fighting Couriers.
Nigerian import Chabi Soulmane added 14 points, including a breakaway reverse dunk following a costly Wang’s turnover with under a minute left.
The 6’6” Soulmane also shone on defense, frustrating the vastly-improved Wang’s line-up built around Fil-Am players hoping to land a contract in the coming PBA draft.
Charles Callano added 10 points.
The win was also a fitting follow-up to CdSL-V Hotel’s earlier victories over Emilio Aguinaldo College (72-69) and MLQU-Victoria Sports (89-79).
“We’re 3-0 now, but there’s plenty of work to do,” said Garcia, who steered the Griffins to four UCSAA titles and the inaugural NCRUCLAA crown over De Ocampo last March.
Former Ateneo de Manila mainstay Chris de Chavez carried the fight for Wang’s with 17 points, including four triples.
Ex-San Beda College star Michole Sorela added 15 points, Globalport Batang Pier draft pick Ryan Arambulo contributed 12 and AMA University star Jason Riley had 10 for the Mandaluyong-based team of MBL chairman Alex Wang and coach Pablo Lucas.
Robbie Herndon, the 6’3” former San Francisco State standout, finished with seven points while battling Soulmane and CdSL’s 6-6 workhorse, Jun Gabriel.
The game was close throughout with neither team leading by more than six points.
Baldevia and Riley, the two smallest players on the floor, scored eight points each in the nip and tuck battle in the payoff period.
Baldevia, however, had the last laugh.
He hit two straight three-pointers and set up Soulmane for a breakaway dunk by forcing a turnover.
Earlier Saturday, MLQU-Victoria defeated Philippine National Police, 75-58.
The scores:
CdSL-V Hotel (74) — Baldevia 23, Soulmane 14, Callano 10, Alvarado 6, Formento 6, Rosas 6, Gabriel 3, Castanares 3, Laman 2, Vargas 1, Nuyda 0, De la Cruz 0, Paclarin 0.
Wang’s-AsiaTech (69) — De Chavez 17, Sorela 15, Arambulo 12, Riley 10, Herndon 7, Asuncion 4, Importante 2, Zabalza 2, King 0, Montemayor 0, J. Lucas 0, L. Lucas 0.
Quarterscores: 24-23, 37-41, 56-56, 74-69.