Clippers of Sancho Sandoval capitalized on a flurry of three-pointers from their key players hittting 16 triples as against one by Bangus and held on to a 103-91 win over the Restaurateur in Junior D-3 in the 15th UFBF Basketball Tournment Friday at Al Qadisia sports gymnasium here.

Mark Vergara rediscovered his deadliest form from beyond the arc by scorching Bangus for 23 points, including six triples, en route to another convincing Clippers victory, while prolific point guard Jerome Lazaro added 18 markers and James Chua had 12 points to go with 12 rebounds and 1 block. Sweet-shooting Jun Moneva played some quality minutes and made nine of his 11 points in the three-point territory while Louie Hernandez, Mclean Lontoc and Win Mangulabnan each had 9 points and Denmark Plana tallied 8.

Red-hot point guard Lazaro drilled three consecutive triples to start the first quarter and Chua’s two ignited a 13-2 swing for Clippers. Bangus’ Norby Briones converted two foul shots and Robin Santiago’s corner pocket brought it back down to 7, but Chua and Lontoc’s baskets extended the lead by 11, 17-6, 5:16 minutes remaining.

Bangus clawed back with an 8-0 run capped by Santiago and Gino Flores’ consecutive baskets to cut the deficit to just 3, 14-17, to force a Clippers timeout. Fresh from the bench, Clippers’ Moneva nailed a long three and Chua completed a putback of a Tanduyan miss for an 8-point lead, 1:23 minutes left with Bangus still trailing by 6, 16-22 to end the first quarter.

Bangus still trailed 40-53 after Pineda and Santiago’s baskets to end the half.

Bangus had some breather early in the third canto as it pulled within 7, 54-61, via a 10-0 tear courtesy of Pineda and Flores, but the Clippers found enough ways and countered with a Lazaro’s trey and Tanduyan 2 foul shots. From then on, both teams exchanged baskets with Clippers taking a 77-68 at the end of third quarter on Chua’s buzzer-beating jumper.

Clippers’ Win Mangulabnan opened the fourth with a short stab, but Bangus’ Flores, Mansour and Pineda responded with successive baskets and came within 5, 74-79, in under two minutes of play. Clippers showed no mercy as they busted out another 12-0 blast and built a 20-point advantage, 96-76, midway in the last quarter putting to naught Santiago’s 31 markers and Flores’ 27 and Pineda’s 26.

Asenjo team gave its best but still fell short to a steadier FOWA team of Carmelo Ayunon in a 75-82 defeat in Junior D-4.

Asenjo played well in the early goings behind John Magallanes who exploded 12 of his 18 points to end the first quarter ahead by a slim margin, 17-16.

But FOWA’s five started to impose its will and played steadier in the second canto led by the all-around play of former MVP Ralphy Tablang, Noli Rentoria and Johnson Ritualo and kept a comfortable lead, 44-36 at the turn.

Tablang tallied a game-high 19 points, 11 of them coming in a sizzling display in the third canto, while Ritualo and Rentoria added 16 and 15 as they took a 61-54 advantage going into the final quarter.

It was a tense fourth quarter battle. With one last shot at levelling the match, Asenjo’s Noel Malibiran hit one free throw and teammate Frank Adlan rebounded the ball on Malibiran’s second throw miss and pulled out a dagger for a 72-73 count, 1:04 tick left. But Rentoria, who played a solid game for FOWA, sank two charities for a 75-72 lead as Malibiran muffed two pressure-packed free-throw shots off a Ritualo’s foul. That sealed the fate of Asenjo after two failed triple attempts from Tolentino in the closing seconds.

Other game results: Mangiamo beat ACES 72-61, Rashed Good Year outscored Abana 92-74, Al-Tuwairqi humbled Tropang Dammam 76-57, BTC Network thrashed KFMC-MODA 90-55, Al Hoty Stanger beat Mustang 92-86 and DHL won 79-60 over Almira Steamatic.