The CEU Scorpions Men’s Basketball Team raised its winning streak to seven games after mauling the LPU-Batangas Pirates, 110-67, in the second round of eliminations in the Universities and Colleges League Season 5 on December 12 at the Paco Arena.
The Scorpions were off to a good start after having a nine-point lead against the Pirates, but showed their scoring prowess after scoring 55-34 before halftime, blowing the lead into 21 points.
The lead further ballooned as the Scorpions unleashed 31 huge points going at the latter part of the game with the second unit showing their firepower.
Lenard Angelo Santiago led the Scorpions with a monster performance, scoring 27 points and firing 9 three-pointers despite only having 27 minutes of play time. He was also hailed as the Best Player of the game.
“Nag-focus kami sa game namin and yung ginawa namin is parang hinigitan namin yung level namin nung first round kumbaga hindi kami maging relax [at] complacent,” Santiago answered when asked about the game.
He also admitted that they had a hard time during the first quarter as their team captain and point guard, Franz Ray Diaz, just came back to the ball game.
The Scorpions indeed showed the strength of their bench in this game with multiple players scoring double-figures.
Anjord Cabotaje helped Santiago by scoring 13 points. Dave Bernabe and Jerome Santos also contributed to the team with 11 points each.
Despite just returning back, Diaz also scored 11 points, helping the team to earn the victory.
Santiago also confessed that the team had struggles before entering the tournament due to restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Yung first time naming mag-face-to-face training, sobrang sabik na sabik kaming lahat. Yung tipong nagkakaniya-kaniya kami kasi gustong magpasikat dahil nga galing sa pandemic,” he said on the interview.
“Sobrang naging struggle sa amin yung pandemic na ‘to kasi parang nawala kami sa paglalaro namin ng basketball dahil nasa bahay nga lang kami,” Santiago added.
Meanwhile, Chico Manabat, head coach of the CEU Scorpions, also expressed in the interview that this win is a good start for the second round.
Despite remaining undefeated, he shared that they also experienced difficulties amidst the pandemic.
Manabat took over the team during the pandemic, and he confessed, “Very tough talaga yung pinagdaanan namin kasi since pandemic pa lang, yung recruitment yun yung pinakamahirap.”
For him, the recruitment process was one of the hardest they had to go through as the restrictions due to COVID-19 limits them to go to places.
They tried to contact coaches and players who are willing to play for the school, and one of them was Lenard Santiago.
When asked about how they maintain their lead, he answered, “Actually, it’s all about our players ‘e. Talagang they want to play 110%. Sabi nga nila, ‘Coach, hindi natin ito bibitawan.”
He continued, “All credits dito sa mga coaches ko rin [at] mga assistant ko kung papaano nila kinakausap tsaka paano nila mino-mold yung gusto namin na culture. Syempre, yung mga players, it’s all about the players talaga.”
Manabat is also hopeful that the team will have a back-to-back win in this tournament.
The CEU Scorpions are now preparing for their next game tomorrow against Olivarez College at 3:30 p.m. at the Paco Arena.