EMILIO Aguinaldo College gave a huge lift to its NCAA Season 100 Final Four bid by defeating Arellano University, 69-59, in Saturday’s main game at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Guard Harvey Pagsanjan and King Gurtiza came up with big numbers for the Generals, who held the Chiefs to just nine points in the fourth quarter to take the all-important win.
Pagsanjan had 17 points and eight rebounds, while Gurtiza added 13 and nine boards, including a three pointer at the left corner that bounced twice before going in with 38 seconds clinched for the team its eighth win in 16 outings.
The Generals are now tied with Lyceum Pirates at fourth spot with similar 8-8 slates going to their highly-anticipated showdown on Tuesday.
“It’s a vital win, we need this one badly,” said Emilio Aguinaldo coach Jerson Cabiltes afterwards.
“It’s going to be the biggest game of the season for us kasi it all boils down to this if ever we want to enter the Final Four. We need to defeat LPU, we can’t rely on their next game na matalo sila and for us to win. Kailangan we need to do it on our own. We need to take care of that job.”
The Generals went on a 9-0 run in the first five minutes of the fourth period to stretch a slim two-point lead to 61-50.
The Chiefs then threatened at 66-59 before Gurtiza hit the game-clinching three pointer for Emilio Aguinaldo.
Tmac Ongotan missed a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds for Arellano, which went down to its 10th defeat as against six wins.
Mathematically, the Chiefs still have an outside shot at the no.4 semis berth, but need to sweep their last two games against Letran and Mapua and hope anyone among Lyceum, Emilio Aguinaldo, and Letran will lose all of their remaining outings.
The scores:
Emilio Aguinaldo 69 - Pagsanjan 17, Gurtiza 13, Loristo 10, Jacob 9, Oftana 5, Ochavo 4, Lucero 4, Quinal 3, Bagay 2, Luciano 2, Umpad 0, Doromal 0, Bacud 0.
Arellano 59 -- Ongotan 14, Valencia 13, Borromeo 11, Hernal 6, Geronimo 5, Capulong 5, Vinoya 5, Camay 0, Abiera 0, Acop 0, Libang 0, Miller 0.
Quarters: 21-18; 34-33; 52-50; 69-59.
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