The UE Red Warriors trounce the EAC Generals: Who's your Mammie, UE?

Who’s your Mammie, UE?

by rick olivares

May 3, 2013

San Juan Arena

Without the benefit of a strong inside presence, the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals have gotten by through the three-point shooting of Francis Munsayac and Jan Jamon.

Heading into their match against the UE Red Warriors, Munsayac was 7-13 while Jamon was 6-14 from long distance.

The duo put on a spectacular shooting display against Southwestern University (although they lost 80-75) and they hoped they’d find the range against the UE Red Warriors.

But the Recto-based team has some pretty decent long-range artillery themselves.

With the seconds slipping away by the end of the first period, UE point guard Roi Sumang raced to his offensive side of the court and pulled up from some 30-feet out for a shot.

The shot was all net to book it, 25-15, for UE.

One of the strengths of the Warriors is they have a lot of players who can stick that outside three – Lord Casajeros, Jay-R Sumido, Peds Gallanza, JM Noble, Mario Bonleon, heck, even center Chris Javier will take the shot when Sumang’s spirit moves him.

Sumang shot 3-4, Sumido 2-4, and Noble 2-3 from trifecta distance. UE shot 33.3% from that area while EAC was 4-26 for a 15% accuracy clip.

Only the Red Warriors weren’t getting it done solely from the outside. When UE stretched the defense to the perimeter, then they pounded the ball into to their massive 6’8” center from Sierra Leone, Charles Mammie.

Mammie scored 11 first half points, the only player from either side to register in double digits, to lead the Red Warriors to a 48-33 lead.

The direction was very clear from UE head coach Boysie Zamar – go to their advantage and that was inside.

A simple inbound play at the 2:24 mark of the third period showed what UE can do now they have the big guy to intimidate on defense and to score a ton of points inside.

Mammie inbounded the ball on the right side of their basket to Sumido who was atop the three-point arc. As the defense swung to Sumido, he passed off to the left corner where Galanza was even more wide open. As the defense ran out to defend the three-point shot, Mammie slid inside the lane where on cue, Galanza dumped the ball right in.

The African missed the shot but was fouled by Jeff Mallari. Mammie hit both free throws for a 44-26 lead.

Then with 4:36 left to play, Mammie was the recipient of an outlet pass. He took one dribble then took off for a reverse jam that had the crowd and his teammates cheering; 91-60 for UE.

The UE center finished with a game high 23 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists.

“Iba yung meron magre-rebound para sa yo,” noted Sumang of Mammie’s presence.

Para kang nakasandal sa pader?

“Siya yung pader!” emphasized the shifty guard.

“We have to accept the fact that this is a seven or eight month transition,” cleared up Zamar who is on his second tour of duty as head coach of UE (the first was from 2000-03 with James Yap, Ronald Tubid, and Paul Artadi). “It is not just learning from the mistakes and failures but also accepting reality. The sign of a good team is to bounce back.”

Zamar was referring to their painful 89-87 overtime loss to San Sebastian last Wednesday after the Red Warriors surrendered a double digit lead.

“We have to be ambitious. We have to dream big. We have to dare. We have to fail also. Learning from our failure is part of the challenge.”

UE 97 – Mammie 23, Sumido 15, Sumang 11, Noble 10, Santos 8, Casajeros 8, Javier 4, Bonleon 4, Olivarez 4, Alberto 3, Guion 2, Flores 2, Pujante 2, Galanza 1, Hernandez 0, De Leon 0.

EAC 66 – Castro 12, Tayongtong 11, Jamon 10, Munsayac 9, King 6, Manga 6, Mejos 3, Arquero 3, Monteclaro 3, Santos 2, Onwubere 1, Mallari 0, Saludo 0, Navarro 0.

The quotable Boysie Zamar:

On Charles Mammie taking too long to answer a question in the press room: “Don’t worry, Charles, the bus will wait for you.”

On Sierra Leone, where Charles Mammie hails from: “You know the movie Blood Diamond? That is where he is from.”