By CYRUS M. GARDE
BACOLOD City — Bacolod Steel Center defeated Johann Kendrick Tan, 70-64, in Unbeaten Teams, even as Northwest Inn barged into the win column against Eversure Mktg., 75-68, at the end of the first round in Class B of the Fil-Sino Intercompany Friendship Cup at Po Hang Gym here.
Keith Banzon heaves a triple in the last two minutes for a deadlock for Bacolod Steel, as teammate Chief Insp. Adonis Rosales added four points to seal the victory.
JKT took the first quarter, 40-35, with Edward Uy contributing 13 points and Allan Su, six, but Simon Tan fired five points in a low scoring quarter, as Steel cut the deficit to 51-50.
JKT committed errors mostly in free throws in the payoff quarter that would have put them ahead, and Steel grabbed the momentum at the right moment with the Banzon trey.
Banzon paced Bacolod Steel with 14; Jolly Castillo and Rosales added 11 each; Brian Ong shot 10; Simon Tan hit seven; and Brent Chan, six.
Uy led JKT with 15 points; Devin Villacruz added seven; while Nico Yap, Monroe Chua, and Jan Jan Young churned in six apiece.
In the second game, Roverick De Los Santos delivered a game high 20 points highlighted with back-to-back triples that forced the momentum shift in the payoff quarter to give Northwest Inn its first victory in three starts.
Northwest took the half, 32-30, and had some breathing room with a 55-49 advantage going to the fourth quarter.
Ardian Wow Ong backed De Los Santos with 15; Wilson Dy shot 11; Leonard Kilayko, 10; and Arian Chua, seven.
David Tan paced Eversure with 16; Berto Uy delivered 13; Beejay Paredes, 12; Glenn Yee shot nine; and Tubby Villanueva, seven.
Last Wednesday, NHOJ’s Sportswear suffered its first loss against 365 Modern Café, 84-80, while Marby Arcade La Salle improved to 2-1 with a victory against Pilmico/Salto, 88-82, in Class A./PN
