High school player erupts for 89 points

MANILA -- Jose Rizal’s high school basketball is slowly but surely starting to become a factory of players who are mean, scoring machine.

On Wednesday, the Light Bombers produced another one Unleashing one of the finest scoring exhibitions in league history, Joshua Saret did a Kobe Bryant as he torched Angeles U Foundation with a league-best 89 points to power Jose Rizal to a one-sided 171-43 victory in juniors’ action of Season 85 at The Arena in San Juan City.

The 5’8” lightning-quick Saret, who poured in 22, 21, 19 and 27 points by quarter, drained 33 of the 54 he shots he attempted from the field and buried nine of the 10 foul shots he took.

Saret laced his spectacular scoring feat by bombing AUF with a league-high 14 booming triples.

Saret thus became the new owner of the highest scoring output in league history since former teammate Keith Agovida burned the hoops with an 82-points explosion on Sept. 4 last year.

Letran’s Marlon Bola Bola was the previous record owner before Agovida with 71 points in the 70s.

Amazingly, Saret bested the 79 points poured in by Allan “The Triggerman” Caidic in the pros in 1987 that proved to be the highest scored by a Filipino ever.

Incidentally, Saret’s feat was eight points higher than what Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant’s NBA personal high 81 points. Bryant, the 2007-2008 MVP, was in the country a few days back for a six-day multi-nation Asian tour.

Saret, who is now being eyed by big name schools like reigning UAAP champion Ateneo, actually had 11 rebounds, 12 assists and 13 steals to post the league’s first quadruple-double since Ryan Buenafe, formerly of San Sebastian, made a habit of it two seasons back.

Curiously, Saret scored only six points when Agovida, reportedly playing for La Salle next UAAP season, waxed hot.

“We’re proud of him,” said Management Committee member Paul Supan of Jose Rizal. “He will play for our seniors’ team next year.”