DEFENDING champion Faculty of Engineering and the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTHM) arranged a finals duel after thrashing their respective opponents in the semi-final round of this year’s Thomasian Goodwill basketball games.
Engineering easily defeated archrival College of Education in lopsided fashion, 113-70, while CTHM stunned an erstwhile undefeated Faculty of Arts and Letters, 73-69, at the P. Noval basketball court last Dec. 10.
“Actually, blessing in disguise yung pagkatalo namin sa kanila (Artlets)nung eliminations,” CTHM head coach Jeric Martinez said. “Nawala yung egonamin at yabang, at naging chance namin yun (the loss)para mag-ayos.”
CTHM launched an 11-3 run in the fourth quarter sparked by Mauro Lumba’s three-point play as their squad led, 70-63. Jerome Lubo of Artlets cut the deficit to three with back-to-back baskets, 70-67.
CTHM’s Jolo Ponce made it a two-possession ball game with a clutch floater down the lane with 33.1 ticks remaining.
Melvin Figuracion had a game-high 17 points while Ponce added eight points despite sustaining a blow to the chin.
James Ledesma, Jashit Dhaliwal, and Jason Anderson combined for 50 points to book a finals berth for Engineering and a chance for a second straight title in the tournament.
“It’s not enough to play hard, but we also have to work hard,” said Engineering head coach Fr. Franklin Beltran, O.P. “We played the rotations well, dapat may malakas lagi sa loob.”
Engineering dominated the game from the get-go, scattering 44 points at the end of the first half while holding Education to only 29.
Beltran said that his squad’s knack for challenging every shot opened the window for their high-octane offense.
“Challenge every shot, kasi pag naka-shoot ang kalaban ng kahit isa lang, dagdag confidence yun sa kanila.”
