ARELLANO overcame College of St. Benilde, 67-63, on Friday in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup in San Juan.
Lervin Flores had 16 points, nine rebounds, and six blocks as the NCAA runner-up Chiefs improved their win-loss record to 2-4 but remain way behind in the race to the quarterfinals.
Kraniel Villoria had 14 points including back-to-back hits that put the Chiefs ahead, 65-55, with 2:19 left in the fourth.
The Blazers slid to 1-6 in their preseason campaign.
“Siyempre, anything that will give us a positive win, it’s always welcome sa amin. Ineembrace namin ’yun,” said Arellano coach Jerry Codinera, disappointed with the team’s 20 turnovers.
“Horrible ’yung mga turnovers namin. Hindi ko alam ’yung description doon. Hindi naman ma-cut down. Pero we have to find a way to improve,” said Codinera.
Arellano top gunner Kent Salado experienced pain in his knee before the match but still played for 25 minutes, failing to score.
Down 10, the Blazers tried to make a comeback in the endgame with Dino San Juan hitting a jumper and JJ Domingo converting a three-point play.
Yankie Haruna scored a putback to make it a four-point game with a three-point play but missed the bonus free throw with 27.5 seconds left.
The scores:
Arellano 67 — Flores 16, Villoria 14, Nichols 9, Enriquez 6, Meca 6, Canete 6, Taywan 5, Rivera 1, Abanes 1, Salado 0, Concepcion 0, Aguilar 0, De Guzman 0, Padilla 0, Chavez 0, Filart 0.
St. Benilde 64 — Leutcheu 17, San Juan 10, Pili 6, Belgica 6, Naboa 5, Haruna 4, Mercado 4, JJ Domingo 3, Dixon 3, Sta. Maria 2, Johnson 2, Velasco 1, Castor 0, Young 0, Bunyi 0.
Quarterscores: 13-10; 36-31; 51-49; 67-64.
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