BY MILES ARCENAL
ARELLANO University got back on the winning track after routing the winless Lyceum, 92-65, in the NCAA Season 101 Men’s basketball tournament, Tuesday afternoon at the Playtime Filoil Center.
This comes after the Chiefs nearly gave the league-leading Perpetual Altas their first loss over the weekend - with their confidence in that game carrying over in this rout over the Pirates.
An 18-4 third-quarter blitz by the Chiefs proved to be the turning point, piercing through the Pirates’ defense and breaking what had been a tightly contested first half.
They weren't to be stopped in the payoff period as the Legarda-based squad blew the game wide open to secure their second win of the season, with senior guard T-Mac Ongotan leading the way with a triple-double of 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Arellano closed the first round of Pool A on a split 2-2 slate.
Chiefs take care of business
“It was a collective effort ng mga player and gusto talaga nilang manalo,” Manabat said.
“Hindi ko na nga tinignan ‘yung stats, ni-remind lang sa’kin sa panel kanina. We had six turnovers lang, nakakagulat ‘yun.’"
Given how well the Chiefs were taking care of the ball, it was Manabat’s gamble to field a small-ball lineup which turned the tide for them.
“Nag-adjust ako so gumamit ako ng small ball. ‘Yun yung lagi kong ginagawa sa practice eh, so nakita ko na ‘pag naging okay ‘yun, paninindigan ko na,” he explained.
“So far, naging okay agad, nagka-run agad kami pagpasok ng third quarter and then hindi kami nadalian doon, mahirap din kasi nagtatalo-talo kaming mga coaches sa tendencies kung anong dapat naming gawin. Siguro more on sa mga players na talaga na gusto nilang maglaro.”
Manabat also lauded Ongotan’s triple-double - the first since Perpetual’s John Abis back in Season 98 - but admitted he’s keeping an eye on his senior’s health as the grind continues.
“Actually sinasabihan ako ng mga statistician namin pero hindi ko ‘yun tinitignan,” he said.
“Ang tinitignan ko ‘yung sobra-sobra ng ginawa ni T-Mac, and then nagwo-worry nga ako mamaya ma-aksidente pa dahil nakita niyo naman may mga natatapilok. Kaya sa sobrang gigil din baka ma-aksidente, pero masayang-masaya ako kasi nakukuha niya na ‘yung timing niya.”
Aside from Ongotan’s all-around performance, Renzo Abiera led the scoring barrage with 16 points, and six rebounds while Anthony Borromeo nabbed 11 markers and six boards.
With the victory, Arellano moves on to face the so-called “Group of Death” in the next phase, and he's hoping that this win will be the boost they need entering that next phase.
“One game at a time. Malaking confidence boost sa’min especially versus EAC,” he said.
“Katulad din ng LPU, so kung ano siguro ‘yung mga nakita namin versus LPU dadagdagan pa namin. ‘Yan kasi isa sa mga dark horse ng NCAA, so one game at a time bago pumunta ng Sunday kasi sunod-sunod eh. Ang maganda naman dito, healthy naman ‘yung mga bata.”
Meanwhile, Lyceum continued to struggle to find its footing as Ato Barba led the Pirates with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Renz Villegas added 10 markers.
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