Sealions down Skyhawks, boost bid for top spot

Olivarez College inched closer to securing the No. 1 seed in the second phase of eliminations after clobbering WCC-Aeronautical and Technological College, 94-69, in the UCAL-PGFlex Linoleum 7th Season yesterday at the Paco Arena in Manila

Protecting a slim 60-55 lead entering the payoff period, the Sealions suddenly became hot, scoring almost at will to outscore the Skyhawks, 34-14, to extend their winning run to five games for a 7-1 mark.

In the other game, Immaculada Concepcion College (ICC) continued to impress as it stunned reigning titlist Centro Escolar University, 101-83, thanks to the red-hot shooting of Edrian Mark Ramirez and Alfred Joseph Flores.

Ramirez was almost unstoppable, firing 34 points on an impressive 11-of-16 shooting from field, including 4-of-8 from the three-point area while Flores added 27 points spiked by four triples as ICC improved to 5-3.

The Sealions need only to beat the still winless Philippine Women’s University on Thursday to formalize their claim of the top spot.

Hakim Njiasse put on another Most Valuable Player-like performance with 30 points and 30 rebounds but it was Jhon Patrick Panela who started it all.

He opened the fourth with six straight points to touch off offensive spurts that turned a close contest into a rout.