Still licking the wound of its heartbreaking 51-52 loss to Olivarez College a few days ago, Saint Dominic College of Asia vented its ire on Philippine Merchant Marine School Wednesday with a convincing 61-44 victory in the 30th season of the NCRAA men’s basketball tournament at the Bestlink College of the Philippines gym.
The Pikemen came up with a great defensive effort in the second half, using a variety of zone defenses, from pressuring the ball carriers, to implementing a 3-2 zone converted to 2-3, and not letting up on every possession.
Newly-installed head coach Bong dela Cruz and his troops regathered 48 hours after that tough loss to the multi-titled Sealions, but they came out all locked in facing the Mariners of coach Aldrin Morante.
“Of course, that loss against Olivarez, masakit sa amin yun,” said Dela Cruz. “But I want the players to feel the pain, so they can bring the fire in our next game and that’s what we’ve shown against PMMS.”
The Pikemen could have gone perfect after three games had Edward Daquioag’s basket at the buzzer was counted by the game officials during their game against the Sealions, last season’s runner-up to eventual champion Immaculada Concepcion College, but the shot was nullified, allowing the Myke Saguiguit-mentored team to escape with the victory.
This time, SDCA won without any doubt and by claiming its second triumph in three games, the Pikemen had already surpassed last season’s finish this early part of their campaign.
“I told my players that last season, we only won one of 11 games,” added Dela Cruz. “We want to get back at those teams which beat us, but we want to do it one game at a time.”
So tough was the defense of the Pikemen, who held the Mariners scoreless in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.
That resulted to 10 unanswered points with Daquioag leading the charge and allowed SDCA to pull away, 53-40, midway the final period.
The younger brother of PBA player Ed Daquioag, unloaded 15 points, pulled down five boards.
Didoy Proel, the main man up front for the Pikemen, complemented Daquioag with his own 15-point production and an efficiency rating of +19.
