PCL: RTU falls twice, DLSU dazzles in triple-header

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Collegiate League rolled on with 3 games at the Rizal Technological University Gymnasium this Sunday, June 26. 

In the first game, Centro Escolar University squeaked a one-point victory against RTU Team A, 57-56. Both teams traded buckets and stops as the game went down to the wire. Cristine Caranto of CEU and Karlois Duazo of RTU-A both led their teams with 12 points and 17 rebounds.

The second game featured the University of the Philippines topping the RTU Team B, 63-54, marking the second straight loss of the day for the home university.

UP managed to balloon the lead to 16 late in the third quarter, but RTU went on a 17-4 run to cut the UP lead to just 3, 54-51, with about 3 minutes left. However, UP took advantage of crucial RTU turnovers in the fourth and pulled away for good.

De La Salle University battled the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in the final game of the triple-header, where DLSU buried PUP by 37, 85-48. 

Both teams employed the 3-ball as their main weapon early on as they went back and forth. PUP’s woes were visible at both ends on the court, where they failed to curb the relentless 3-pointers of DLSU and turned the ball over multiple times on offense. DLSU made the best out of their struggles as they mounted a 28-point lead, 67-39, after 3 quarters. 

The story of the game didn’t change in the fourth, as DLSU piled on more threes to put the game out of reach.

Sudden massive rains poured late in the fourth, which caused water to leak onto the court. Both coaches agreed to stop the game with 2:33 left to avoid possible injuries due to slippage. Khate Castillo of DLSU led all scorers with 24. Alyanna Vergara was also notable for her 18 points, all from 3-point range. Meanwhile, only 6 out of 18 players scored for PUP, compared to ten from DLSU.

PCL will return on Friday, July 1, with a two-game slate: CEU versus DLSU and Blackwater Perlas Pilipinas versus RTU-B. – Rappler.com