Fil-Am bet dunks over Kai Sotto
Credit to Author: Tempo Online| Date: Thu, 21 Mar 2019 09:13:39 +0000
VICIOUS SLAM: FilAm Sports USA’s Jalen Green dunks over Ateneo’s Kai Sotto during their 2019 NBTC Nationals Supreme 16 match on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The Fil-Ams beat the Eaglets, 90-67. (NBTC)
A thunderous dunk by the 6-foot-6 Fil-Am Jalen Green over the 7-foot-2 Kai Sotto highlighted the action-packed third day of the 2019 Chooks-to-Go NBTC League National Finals presented by SM Wednesday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Green’s one-handed sledgehammer helped power FilAm Sports USA to an emphatic 90-67 victory over Ateneo-Quezon City in the Supreme 16 phase of the tournament.
With the win, the US team advanced to the Fantastic 8 and inches closer to its goal of winning the national championship for high school presented by Chooks-to-Go, Darlington-Exped Socks, EPSON, Huawei, Freego, Purefoods, Gatorade, Go for Gold, SM, Molten, and presented by 5Plus and Lighthouse Events.
The 17-year-old Green got the better of the Blue Eaglets’ towering teen early in the second quarter as he drove baseline, met his defender at the rim, and delivered the vicious slam.
He finished with a game-high 31 points and collected six rebounds, nine assists, and three steals.
Aside from Green, forward Kai Ballungay also showcased his stuff to end up with 16 points and nine boards. FilAm Sports shot 45 percent from the field while also doing damage at the defensive end, forcing Ateneo to 28 turnovers.
Sotto finished with 24 points and eight rebounds.
FEU ADVANCES
Meantime, Far Eastern University advanced to the semis with an 87-84 win over Durham Crossover-Toronto yesterday.
RJ Abarrientos fired 20 of his 32 points in the final frame to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists for the Baby Tamaraws.
The Canadians blew away a 9-point lead (67-56) as Abarrientos and company intensified their attack.
In the semis, FEU will face Mandaluyong-based La Salle Greenhills which dispatched Vancouver’s Top Flight Hoops, 99-69.