BACOLOD Tay Tung High School finally exited from contention in the ongoing SM-National Basketball Training Center(NBTC) National Finals Division 2 with a heart-breaking 63-69 loss to De La Salle Lipa on Wednesday.
The Bacolod team opened a commanding 20-8 lead with numerous fast-break points, but slowed down in the second quarter as Lipa kept their pacing with a 13-11 scoring output to cut the deficit at the break, 31-21.
Tay Tung controlled the momentum in the first half of the third canto, 45-34 but topscorer James Barrera was shipped out after suffering a knee injury with 3:30 minutes left.
Lipa took advantage of Barrera’s absence with a surging 25-15 scoring edge to equalize the scoreboard at 46-all going into the final period.
Both teams played even at the start of the fourth period but Raphael Dimayuga hit a triple and split his charities to put Lipa to a five-point lead, 62-57. Ian Abila extended La Salle’s advantage with an easy lay-up, 64-57.
Tay Tung tried to make a comeback behind the free-throws of Barrera – who was temporarily pulled out in the third, and Harold Alarcon who missed two of his three charities, 60-65. Dimayuga sank his free-throws to give his team some breathing space, 67-60 with less than a minute left in the game.
With 25.8 seconds left in the clock, Alarcon forced a three-pointer but missed and gave up a foul on Abila who split from the line with 10.1 ticks remaining in the game.
Fritz Valencia sank Tay Tung’s final triple for a 63-68 score before Abila finally sealed the win for Lipa on a split charity.
Stephen Javier silently led La Salle Lipa with 21 points as Abila and Dimayuga added 17 and 12 points, respectively – mostly in the final period.
Barrera and Alarcon paced Tay Tung with 23 and 15 points.
For team manager Roger Montalbo, their participation in the NBTC tournament helped his team a lot.
“It’s a good experience for the boys as it will help them improve. Again, height is might in this sport,” he said.
“Now, the team will focus on the upcoming 3-on-3 event in the Palarong Pambansa,” he added. (HGD)