SMCB falls by two against OLMCC in a rain-delayed thriller

Despite falling short, St. Mary’s College of Baliuag Inc. (SMCB) displayed grit and composure in a rain-delayed basketball nail-biter, battling Our Lady of Mount Carmel College (OLMCC) until the final buzzer before suffering a narrow 45-43 defeat.

Heavy rain before the game caused a severe delay, but SMCB returned to the court with energy, keeping pace with OLMCC from the opening minutes as the latter held a slim 10-9 advantage after the first quarter.

SMCB responded in the second period, turning the game around to take a 21-20 lead at halftime, with Star Player Christoff Victoria leading the charge with 22 points, three rebounds, and two assists.

The lead continued to change hands in the third quarter as SMCB refused to let OLMCC pull away, entering the final frame trailing by only one point, 39-38, while Sebastian Mercado contributed 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

Jovert Montecillo also provided a strong all-around performance with eight points, nine assists, and one rebound, while Elton Liñgat anchored the team defensively with nine rebounds, two blocks, and one assist, and Tyrone Maniego added two rebounds, one block, and one assist.

With the game still separated by only a few points in the fourth quarter, both teams fought for every possession, but OLMCC managed to execute late and secure the 45-43 victory.

SMCB head coach Ricky Parungao attributed the narrow loss to missed decisions during crucial moments, particularly when the team needed to execute plays under pressure, saying, “Ang nakikita kong naging mali sa kanila, lalo na sa mga situation kung saan hindi nila na-ha-handle, number one, nakita ko na kapag mayroon kaming kailangang i-execute na play, ‘yung critical thinking na dapat mayroon ang isang player, katulad ng napag-usapan namin kanina, hindi nila nagawa ‘yun.”

“But some [of the] players naman nakagawa at nagresulta naman ng maganda but some of the players din hindi, kasi may pagkakataon sana kaming makalamang pa nang mas malaki,” he added.

Parungao also highlighted how SMCB adjusted to OLMCC’s fast pace through aggressive defense and fast breaks, explaining, “Ang naging adjustment namin sa opponent namin kanina is ‘yung pacing, na kung saan ang pacing ng laro nila is mabilisan, fast-paced sila.”

“Katulad nung mga fast break, aggressive na depensa, aggressive kumuha ng bola, para maramdaman nila na hindi kami basta-basta,” he said.

Victoria identified decision-making as one of the areas the team needed to improve, especially when facing OLMCC’s tight defense, saying, “Siguro ‘yung decision-making ng team, kasi masyadong mahigpit ‘yung depensa ng kalaban, hindi namin masyadong ma-execute ‘yung play.”

Victoria also emphasized the importance of communication and teamwork, particularly because SMCB had a limited rotation throughout the game.

“Siguro po ‘yung communication namin at ‘yung teamwork as a team. Kailangan po kasi namin magtulungan, siyempre, kasi nahirapan kami. Anim lang po ‘yung sina-sub sa amin halos,” he said.

Although the scoreboard favored OLMCC, SMCB’s resilience remained evident throughout the contest, turning a difficult, rain-delayed match into a hard-fought battle that came down to the final moments.