AMA Junior Titans send UP to 1st loss in Breakdown Basketball Invitationals

AMA Junior Titans send UP to 1^st loss in Breakdown Basketball Invitationals

by rick olivares

AMA Computer College brought streaking University of the Philippines Integrated School down to earth with an 86-67 win in the Smart Breakdown Basketball Invitationals last Saturday, August 12, at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center.

The AMA Junior Titans never let UPIS into the match as they repeatedly attacked the Junior Maroons’ weak interior. The Junior Titans’ Carl Lumaque, Karl Bautista, and Juan Garcia gave their foes fits with their speed and killer crossovers. Inside, John Ortega and Jimber Alcaide pounded the ball inside.

So relentless was AMA that by the start of the fourth period, they had raced to a 23-popint lead after forward Dean Martin put back a missed shot, 71-48, time down to 8:30.

The previous weekend, the Junior Maroons rallied from a seven-point deficit against La Salle Greenhills, 60-53, with 1:14 left to play behind Jaggie Gregorio and Polo Labao. Labao scored the game-winning layup.

This time though there was no endgame rally as AMA never stepped off the gas pedal.

The Junior Titans’ Garcia tallied 22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals.

The win gave AMA a 3-1 record and vaulted the Junior Titans to the top of the Under-19 Division while UPIS, which sports a similar slate, fell to second.

AMA wasn’t only the small school to take down a big one. The English Christian Academy also held back the Mapua Cardinals Team B, 72-65, with an uptempo game the latter failed to match. Jeron Angco led ECA with 11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.

In other U-19 division matches, LSGH rebounded from back-to-back heartbreaking losses to Paco Christian Academy Elite A and UPIS with a 96-52 thrashing of PCA Elite Team B.

La Salle joined ECA and Mapua with a 2-2 record.