WNCAA Basketball Games Update

The 41st WNCAA opened last 7th Aug 2010 @ Ninoy Aquino Stadium (aka Rizal Sports Complex).
Hosted by CEU Lady Scorpions, the crowd saw a 3 game -bill  of basketball. 
Here are the results:
Seniors B- CEU vs SBCA, 72-44.
Midgets- St. Paul vs. Poveda, 37-21.
Seniors A- UA&P vs. LCCM, 57-47.


Today, the games were held at Lyceum:
Seniors:
SSC Scions 39- 99 Lyceum Lady Pirates.
Former MVP Jessica Polindey of LPU led the squad. From the onset, their pressure defense caused many turnovers for the Scions. By the 2nd quarter, the game was practically over.  The rest of the game seemed like a scrimmage to the Lady Pirates who fielded almost all their players, who were highly skilled as well. Hence, they did not miss the services of former Mythical 5 members, Lalaine Flormata and Arlene Gesalan, who are no longer with the squad.
However, this run and gun team is not at a loss even without their star players, their 2nd unit, led by Jona Yasay is almost as good as the starting unit, with Albiol (8), showing us her flashes of brilliance. I'm betting them to make another Finals appearance with CSB Lady Blazers. Of course, they are the 4-peat champs so you know that they are a deep team.
   
Meanwhile, the Scions totally missed ex-standout, Pearl Mallada (former Juniors and Seniors Mythical 5 and MVP for SSC), but they still have Ferrer and the twins, Kay and Kate Del Rosario. Also missing is coach Emy Vargas, who led them to a Milo-WBL Championship and 2nd runner-up WNCAA finish in 2009.


CSB Lady Blazers 75- 39 UA&P Lady Dragons. 
The Lady Blazers no longer have their big men in Julie Paras and Leonette Salvacion (younger sis of Sunday Salvacion), veteran Monika Reyes, who all have graduated or finished their playing years. Fast guard Angelica Bonleon is now with NU (who was also with FEU Lady Tamaraws before arriving at Vito Cruz).
Since this team is a consistent Finalist, you can't expect them to just wither away. Led by the ever annoying and last year's Mythical selection, Mary Grace aka Aice Dadal (4) who was saddled with fouls from the get-go, courtesy of UA&P's super Soph Claire Capisonda (former super rookie and 1st athletic scholar in the history of the school), who dazzled everyone with her devil drives to the basket. Yet, the Blazers pressure defense cost the Dragons far too many turnovers, which led to easy baskets for Blazers. This tactic is being intensified since losing their big men, the holdovers are Dela Torre (10) and Michelle Sia (8) who are not as good as Paras and Salvacion.
However, they still have their array of speedy and skilled guards in the much-improved Ruth Reforma (9), AC Davao Recruits Zuniga (15) and Mayol (12), Sai Sansaluna (19), and have added ex- CKSC Katherine Merilo (14), who led the CKSC Blue Dragons to a WNCAA and Tiong Lian championships, coupled with Mythical and MVP selections. Together they confused the UA&P offense, which led to hurried shots as well. Although there were flashes of brilliance from the 40th Season Seniors B champion, bouts with inconsistencies proved to be their worse enemy. Also, the lack firepower from the team hurt them, as former Mythical 5 members Roscelle Teotico and MVP Ara Biolena have now graduated. The latter, together with back-up SG Madz Gapit are now concentrating on their studies, Entrepreneurial Management, which requires to run their own businesses prior to graduation.


Returning from last year are: high energy PG's Soph Claire Capisonda (13) (CAS), and the stocky Senior Syl Alcantara (SED), the frontliners in Seniors Abbee Canlas (IMC) and much-improved C Mariel Sison (SED). The rest of the team are either new, or in their 2nd year, but have not seen playing time from last year (raw). 


Since Seniors A is a 6-team division: CSB, LPU, UA&P, RTU, SSC and LCCM. We are hoping that UA&P will enter the Final 4 as its modest goal. They just need to be consistent.