NUEVA ECIJA Coliseum, Palanay City – The San Juan Knights Go for Gold bags a massive win against Mindoro last Tuesday, September 13, 2022. The Nueva Ecija Coliseum was shaken with a tough fight that was debatable midway but ended better for the valiant knights of San Juan. No home court advantage on this one, scoreboard ending at 64 – 146 with the Knights’ win.

Knight’s O. Wamar led the score charts as the best scorer of the game with a good 36 points for the team, closely followed by J. Fuentes with 34 points. Other leaders from San Juan are Ex PBA players M. Calisaan and R. Dennison with 18 and 14 points respectively. Last leader is M. Taywan with 10 points.

The Mindoro Tams were rallied by O. Santos and D. Santos both scoring 19 points each. M. Espiritu takes 11 points, R. Romero with 6 points and A. Marquez with 5 points. The Tams played their hearts out, but the game belonged to the Knights.

Fuentes is all over the statistics board performing well for the game. Second top scorer, with 13 rebounds the same as Ex PBA player M. Calisaan – best in the match, fourth highest assist, and with one successful block on H. Cajeros lay up in the 4^th quarter.

It was not a telltale sign for the Knight’s dominance as jump ball was a Knight ball by C. Buñag.  It was a close fight early on as the Tams maintained a good and steady lead starting at about 5 minutes into the quarter. A well respected effort by R. Romero gave the Tams their first 1 point lead of the match. This continues strong and steady to the end of quarter 1. From an early 1 point lead, to a 5 point lead, 2^nd quarter started with a 1 point lead by the Tams a final reversal into the quarter was a driving lay up by M. Espiritu. 23 -22 to end and start, in favor of Mindoro Tams.

Clearly not yet a Sure win at 2^nd quarter as the tight plays continued until 2 minutes in, and the lead became a dreaded tie soon to be broken. Ex PBA player R. Denison displays an elite play, breaking the ice and the tie is broken at 26 – 28, with a basic but beautiful lay up. The Tams eagerly fight back to grab the lead, but the game is just tight and the Knights push back with tenacity.

A  close attempt by the Tams to clinch and take the lead was a 30 – 31 with a 2 point lay up from Marquez, and yes this was not enough to lead.

With a scarcity of long shots to easily tip the scale and take the lead, D. Santos attempts a long 2 pointer but misses. He is redeemed by a defensive rebound which turns out to be a 3 point jump shot by M. Espiritu, and the score is tied for the last time and the Knights take the game completely here on with crushing domination against the Tams.

Second half was a reversal of leads that we will see push through to the end of the match. The Score at the end of the first half was 43 – 56 in favor of the San Juan Knights. Truly going for gold, they keep the pressure on the opposing team keeping the lead at a maximum.

The third quarter starts with substitution on both sides, Tams brings H. Ajero out to take M. Espiritu back onto the floor with a growing opposition lead that needs to be closed. The San Juan Knights opt to take players ON. Arm and A. Aquino was replaced by C. Buñag and M. Taywan.

J. Marquez widens the gap with a very accurate 3 point shot from a defensive rebound by J. Fuentes. And the scoreboard is sore for the Tams, at 43 – 82 in favor of the Knights. That is a big and still growing 39-point lead by San Juan.

It did not get better for the Mindoro Tams as 3^rd Quarter ended at 48 – 102, with only 5 points made in about 5 minutes of game time while the Knights kept up the pressure building. A 20 point lead is tough to come back from but the Tams are determined.

The Tams recognize the necessity for more shots beyond the arch, and R. Romero and O. Santos try their best to rain a barrage of 3s consecutively with around 3 minutes left into the game. All attempts missed and the lead is still huge, 61 – 146 as J. Fuentes shows them how it is done with a 3 point shot made.

Just to lessen the lead a last and final 3 pointer was gunned by R. Romero and he made it. The game buzzer blares signaling the end of the game at 64 – 146, a victory for the San Juan Knights Go for Gold.

Scores at the end of the Match

San Juan Knights Go for Gold with 146 points

Mindoro Tams with 64 points

Scores per Quarter

23 – 22, 43 – 56, 48 – 102, 64 – 146