EMILIO Aguinaldo College caught its biggest fish yet in NCAA Season 102, taking down a St. Benilde side on a four-game win run, 86-78, Thursday at Playtime Filoil Centre in San Juan.
Jude Bagay put the finishing touches, completing an and-one play with 45.9 seconds left to bring the lead to eight and more importantly, seal the Generals' turnaround from 19 points down in the second frame.
Joseph Nunag also drilled six of his team-best 17 points in the final six and a half minutes, as EAC put on an 11-3 finishing to stop a two-game skid and climb to 3-5 in the standings.
"I was very upset nung halftime. I don't know if we were not playing defense, sumu-shoot lang ang tira nila, or they're just lucky," said coach Jerson Cabiltes, highlighting the Blazers' fiery first half where they shot 11-of-20 from deep.
"Good thing yung adjustments namin, nag-work. Yung effort at tulungan ng bawat isa, kailangan lahat. We're not that strong like the top teams na overloaded ng talent, so dapat kahit five to six minutes ka lang, you do your job."
EAC stays together in second half
Indeed, it needed absolute teamwork for the Generals to overhaul a 16-point halftime deficit, with Wilmar Oftana draining three triples for 15 points and three boards, Jacob Shanoda adding 13 points and four rebounds, and EJ Castillo nabbing 12.
Bagay and Kelly Coronel scored six apiece, as Kyle Ochavo also contributed six assists and six rebounds in the big-time win.
Law of averages caught up with Benilde, as it was held to a 2-of-21 shooting from downtown in the last two frames.
Justine Sanchez and Mowell Morales had an identical statline of 16 points from three triples in the defeat that dropped the Blazers to 6-2.
The Scores:
EAC 86 - Nunag 17, Oftana 15, Shanoda 13, Castillo 12, Bagay 7, Coronel 7, M. Raymundo 6, Ochavo 3, H. Raymundo 3, Bonus 3, Luna 0, Sealey 0.
BENILDE 78 - Sanchez 16, Morales 16, Ancheta 14, Moore 11, Jucom 6, Arciaga 5, Cajucom 5, Podador 3, Go 2, Torres 0, Lorenzo 0, Jarque 0, Daja 0.
Quarters: 23-29, 40-56, 68-71, 86-78.
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