Defending champion West Negros University Mustangs got away with another win in a close game against the University of St. La Salle Stingers, 67-62, last night in the second round of the elimination of the 32nd NOPSSCEA men’s basketball at the USLS Coliseum.

Held scoreless by the Stingers in the first six minutes of the first quarter, the Mustangs got their bearings in time to repulse the resurging Stingers with the diminutive rookie Renz Solomon getting them back in to the game with four straight baskets in the third quarter.

A miserable first quarter saw the Mustangs getting their first point in the game from the free throw line courtesy of Errol Doromal with 4:17 left in the first quarter, where they trailed 9-16.

Showing an aggressiveness that was lacking in their previous games, the Stingers fired away in the opening minutes with Kevin Villarfranca leading the way with eight points.

“We never expected it to be that close. We need to make some more adjustments as it seems that La Salle has anticipated our set plays,” Mustangs head coach Troy Sarabia said.

Despite absorbing their fifth loss in the eliminations, coach Eugene Opu-an of the USLS Stingers remain hopeful of their chances in the semifinals.

“We’re not giving up. We had a big chance to win the game but we let it slipped away. We will have another chance in our next game,” Opu-an said, pinning his hopes in the semifinals where they need to beat twice the No. 1 team after the eliminations.

The Stingers were still ahead at halftime, 29-22, until Solomon speed things up for the Mustangs and hit four straight baskets in the span of 1 minute and 10 seconds to tie the score at 32-all, then put the Mustangs ahead at 32-34 with 5:51 left in the third quarter.

Keeping their composure, the Stingers managed to grab back the lead on a jumper from Jasper Villacampa, but Mustangs’ go-to man Rashmor Catalino and Kervie Andrada scored three straight baskets for a three-point advantage at 38-41. Arturo Cuaresma scored in transition and Gian Carlo Reyes split his throws in the finals second of the third quarter to even the score at 41-all going into the payoff period.

As both squads traded baskets, the Mustangs used their experience to thwart the gallant efforts put up by the Stingers with Jeramer Cabanag converting a three-point shot with 3:24 left for a five-point Mustangs’ lead at 57-52.

Showing that the Stingers are no pushovers, two straight baskets from Cuaresma cut the lead to a single point at 56-57 with 2:24 left in the game clock.

But again, WNU’s veterans Catalino, Cabanag, and Veloso were there to bail the Mustangs out of trouble and turn back the Stingers.

Cabanag topscored for the Mustangs with 15 points, while Catalino finished with 12 and Veloso added 10 points.

Villafranca tallied 16 points for the Stingers, Cuaresma delivered 13, and Allen Dionela had 10 points.

Meanwhile, the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos Rams easily demolished the Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod Eagles, 62-34, who missed the services of its key player Alfred Valle, who was nursing a flu.

“It was an off night for most of the players and the absence of Valle demoralized the entire team,” CSA-B head coach Lorenzo Solinap said.

Both the Eagles and Rams share a 3-2 win-loss card, while the Mustangs top the team standing with a 4-1 record.*NAB

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