NOT even the presence of reigning NCAA Most Valuable Player CJ Perez and his frontline partner Mike Nzesseu of Lyceum can spark FEU NRMF in getting past the more determined R. Lapid’s/Tito Rex.
With five players finishing in double figures, R. Lapid’s/Tito Rex upstaged FEU NRMF, 89-85, to enter the championship round of the Marikina City Basketball League at the Marikina Sports Center.
R.Lapid’s/Tito Rex will face early qualifier NLEX-SCTEX, which has a twice-to-beat advantage in the finals.
Ryan Costello led the way for R. Lapid’s/Tito Rex with 24 points followed by Allen Bulanadi’s 19 markers. Alex Jakhite contributed 16, Soulmane Chabi Yo chipped in 13 and Francis Camacho had 10.
But while balance production has been the calling card of R.Lapid’s/Tito Rex, the team had to rely on Bulanadi and Chabi Yo down the stretch to repulse the heavy favored FEU NRMF.
Bulanadi, a vital cog from San Sebastian, shattered the game’s final deadlock with a triple in the last 40 seconds to give R. Lapid’s /Tito Rex an 88-85 advantage.
After coming up big in the previous offensive play, R. Lapid’s was able to make stops.
Ex-pro Roider Cabrera’s potential game-tying triple misfired, allowing Bulanadi to get the defensive rebound.
FEU NRMF saw another opening of tying the game after Costelo was called for a traveling in R.Lapid’s/Tito Rex’s next offensive thrust.
In the next play, Cabrera took it upon himself by taking another three-pointer but missed the shot as Chabi Yo was able to secure the board and got fouled in the process. The versatile import of Colegio de San Lorenzo split his charities, but that was enough to carry R.Lapid’s/Tito Rex to the championship round.