Pushing hard, Jeremy Cruz posterizes a brigadier drawing a foul
Jasper Magno, Jeremy Cruz, and Regille Kent Ilagan combined for 73 points to give the Staglets an astonishing win over the Brigadiers last September 29 at San Juan Arena. After putting up a tight defense in the fourth quarter to cease the runs and to outscore the Brigadiers, staglets clinched the victory leading by 11 points, 91-80.
Regille Ilagan scores an easy two in a fastbreak
Mark Castillo of the Brigadiers shot back-to-back 3’s to make an early 4-point lead. At 6:30 mark in the first quarter, Brigadiers made a 5-0 run to extend their lead to 9. However, Jasneth Causon closed the first quarter with a 3-point shot to trim the lead to 3 , 20-23.
In the second quarter, Jasper Magno and Jeremy Cruz scored 7 points each to keep the staglets still at advantage. Meanwhile, pressured to cut the chase, Mark Castillo committed an unsportsmanlike foul on Aoki Mercado with 1:32 left. Staglets ended the first half, 42-37, outscoring Brigadiers, 22-14 in the second quarter.
Determined to make a comeback, Brigadiers started the third quarter with a 7-0 run but Jeremy Cruz scored 2 points to end the scoring drought. Brigadiers made another 8-0 run to push the lead to 9, 45-54. Brigadiers ended the third quarter strong, 56-67, and outscoring staglets 30-14.
Jasper Magno takes a jumper making a dominance over the Brigadiers
The Magno-Cruz connection opened up the 4th quarter and sparked the momentum back to the staglets. Their [staglets] aggressiveness to the basket brought Brigadiers to an early penalty situation at 8:03 mark. Staglets made a 9-1 run after the opening shot of Cruz to tie the game at 68-all.
Staglets made another run to take the lead, 77-72. With 4:57 left in the game, Staglets continued their scoring barrage to make a 12-point separation from the Brigadiers, 87-75.
At crunch time, staglets’ tight defense forced turnovers on the side of the Brigadiers which blurred their chances of taking the game.
Magno, Cruz, and Ilagan chipped in for the 35-13 fourth quarter score of the staglets, ending the ball game at 91-80. Jasper Magno recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists.
John Mark S. Andal