FilOil: Baltazar, Serrano lead La Salle in Arellano rout

 

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – The La Salle Green Archers kept it rolling in the 2019 FilOil Preseason Cup with a 95-62 blowout of the Arellano Chiefs in San Juan on Thursday, May 23. 

Star big man Justine Baltazar flexed on the Chiefs with a 21-point, 16-rebound double-double in the Archers’ third straight win. Meanwhile, diminutive guard Encho Serrano showed the biggest heart and finished with 16 markers, 11 boards, 3 assists and no turnovers.

And if new head coach Gian Nazario had his way, this is just the first of many big games from the lanky Baltazar. 

“With the way Balty is playing now, I don’t think we will rely too much on our guards,” he said in the post-game presser. “We will put heavy responsibility on Balty and he needs it.”

Off a back-and-forth 1st half, La Salle turned on the jets in the 3rd quarter and pushed the gap to 13, 61-48, entering the final frame. 

From there, the Archers just toyed around the Chiefs with pull-up threes from Aljun Melecio and even a breakaway one-hand jam from Baltazar at the seven-minute mark.

La Salle’s dominance peaked with a 35-point lead, 95-60, after Melecio fired a full-court pass to a streaking Gabe Capacio in the final minute of regulation.

Dariel Bayla paced Arellano with 19 points and 7 rebounds while Kent Salado added 14 markers as the Chiefs slid to 0-4. 

In the curtain-raiser, the JRU Heavy Bombers scored an 84-78 breakthrough win over the EAC Generals. 

Former UE juniors star Agem Miranda erupted for 25 points, 4 assists and 4 steals to help secure JRU’s first win. Louise Delos Santos chipped in 16 markers, 3 assists and 3 steals while Ry Dela Rosa added 14 points. 

Chester Carlos led EAC with 17 points in the losing effort while JC Luciano churned out a 12-marker, 13-board double-double.

The Scores 

First Game: 

JRU 84 – Miranda 25, Delos Santos 16, Dela Rosa 14, Vasquez 8, Bordon 6, Dionisio 5, Abaoag 4, Dulalia 4, Arenal 2, Jungco 0, Aguado 0. 

EAC 78 – Carlos 17, Luciano 12, Maguliano 10, Gurtiza 10, Taywan 8, Mendoza 6, Martin 5, Cadua 4, Estacio 4, Boffa 2, De Guzman 0, Dayrit 0, Padilla 0, Fuentes 0, Gonzales 0. 

Quarters 18-22, 36-39, 58-59, 84-78.

Second Game: 

DLSU 95 – Baltazar 21, Melecio 16, Serrano 16, Bartlett 11, Caracut 8, Lojera 8, David 5, Escandor 3, Cu 3, Capacio 2, Lim 0, Manaytay 0.

Arellano 62 – Bayla 19, Salado 14, Arana 8, Concepcion 5, Alcoriza 4, Sacramento 4, Villar 4, Segura 2, Loyola 2, Sablan 0, Espiritu 0, Santos 0, Gayosa 0, Cruz 0, Sunga 0, Sera Josef 0. 

Quarters 17-19, 35-38, 61-48, 95-62.

– Rappler.com