Pinabagsak ng defending champion St. Clare College at last year’s runner-up De Ocampo Memorial College ang kani-kanilang mga katunggali upang umabante sa semifinals ng National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (NAASCU) Season 18 basketball tournament.

Winalis ng Group A top seed St. Clare ang Group A fifth placer Philippine Merchant Marine School, 82-64, habang itinumba ng Group B leader De Ocampo ang Group A fourth placer Rizal Technological University, 85-70, upang pangunahan ang semis cast.

Makasasama nila ang dalawang bagong mukha sa Final Four.

Tinalo ng Group B runner-up New Era University ang Group A third placer Our Lady of Fatima University, 67-65, upang itakda ang semis showdown laban sa St. Clare.

Nanaig naman ang Group A second placer Enderun Colleges laban sa Group B third placer St. Francis, 86-70, upang selyuhan ang semis date laban sa De Ocampo.

Dating PBA player na sapilitang nanghalik ng babae sa bar, himas-rehas!

Magsisimula ang best-of-three semis sa Martes sa Ynares Sports Center sa Pasig.

Maliban sa New Era-Fatima match, na naging mahigpitan mula simula, ang tatlong iba pang quarterfinal games ay pawang naging one sided.

Umiskor si Jeff Comia para sa New Era ng 18 puntos, kabilang ang game-changing three-point shot sa huling 39 segundo para masiguro ang panalo ng koponan ni coach Adonis Tierra.

Makakasagupa ng New Era ang St. Clare, ang pinaka-mainit na team sa liga tangan ang walong sunod na panalo.

Nagpakitang gilas si Junjie Hallare sa kanyang double-double na 24 puntos at 16 rebounds.’

Iskor:

(Unang laro)

New Era (67) – Comia 18, Marticio 16, Bringas 9, Reyes 7, Akindele 6, de la Cruz 5, Astoveza 4, Gabriel 2, Castillo 0.

Fatima (65) – Cabrera 25, Alarcon 10, Evardo 7, Essomba 6, Sarona 6, de Vera 4, Diosa 3, Dalupang 2, Diao 2, Bacay 0, Pastrana 0, Espiritu 0.

Quartercores: 13-21, 35-33, 51-51, 67-65.

(Ikalawang laro)

St. Clare (82) – Hallare 24, de Leon 12, Pare 11, Fontanilla 10, Fuentes 9, Santos 9, Palencia 3, Catura 2, Decano 2, Junsay 0, Rubio 0, Pangan 0, Casin 0.

PMMS (64) – Cabauatan 21, Hilario 11, Attas 10, Palomares 7, Briones 6, Capalad 5, Carvajal 2, Bautista 2, Carampatan 0, Inigo 0.

Quartecores: 16-15, 41-29, 65-45, 82-64.

(Ikatlong laro)

De Ocampo (85) – Canelas 17, Schwartz 11, Lescano 10, Manalang 9, Montojo 8, Sabasaje 7, de la Cruz 7, Pascual 6, Artesano 4, M Atabay 4, Reyes 2, Gallardo 0, Licardo 0, Ramos 0.

RTU (70) – Redondo 14, Reyes 13, Sienes 10, Flores 10, Laman 8, Guting 6, Casitas 6, Banaag 3, Flor 0, Ronquillo 0, Calapine 0, Teofilo 0, Torre 0.

Quarterscores: 19-17, 47-34, 65-55, 85-70.

(Ikaapat na laro)

Enderun (86) – Chauca 28, Nunez 16, Gatdula 8, Maagdenberg 7, Oebanda 6, de la Cruz 6, Mariano 6, Dungan 4, Tancioco 3, Goethals 2, Sacundo 0, Jison 0.

St. Francis (70) – Tolosa 12, Oduo 12, Manzanilla 11, Larotin 7, Cenita 7, Arellano 6, Parcero 5, Cruz 4, Madrid 4, de la Cruz 2, Chu 0.