Just a day after getting upset by Jose Rizal University, Emilio Aguinaldo College came back with a vengeance at the expense of Lyceum of the Philippines University, 93-81, in the Filoil EcoOil 17th ECJ Preseason Cup, Tuesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Trailing by three points at halftime, the Generals detonated a 29-10 blast to snatch the momentum and establish a 16-point margin, 79-63, entering the final frame. They wouldn’t look back all the way to their fourth win in five games – still tops in the NCAA bracket.
READ: Padrigao, UST keep Ateneo winless in Filoil Preseason
“I told the players that we need to bounce back in this game. We talked about our defense in the halftime huddle and then ‘yun nga ‘yung third quarter. We just contended,” head coach Jerson Cabiltes said.
Harvey Pagsanjan, finally playing following his transfer from University of the East, fronted the attack with 14 markers alongside two assists and two steals. JC Luciano also contributed 10 markers with five boards to make sure EAC got back into its groove after a 66-73 defeat at the Heavy Bombers’ hands last Monday.
“‘Yung naging motivation ko lang (ay) ‘yung kahapon na game namin,” Pagsanjan said after they reclaimed pole position in their group.
They're going streaking!
College of Saint Benilde then claimed solo second after Tony Ynot and Allen Liwag shot their side over JRU, 86-80.
Ynot did it all with 24 points, five assists, three rebounds, and three steals, while Liwag dominated down low with a 23-marker, 11-board double-double to lead the Blazers’ rise to 3-1.
Colegio de San Juan de Letran, meantime, fended off gutsy Arellano University, 80-75, for its third win in a row after a 0-2 start.
Behind Charles Dimaano, the Knights mounted a lead of as much as 25 and were still ahead 74-64 inside the last five minutes before the Chiefs battled back to as near as one, 75-76, with 13 ticks to go thanks to a 11-2 rush.
Letran prized rookies Jonathan Manalili and Jovel Baliling then made all four of their free throws to keep Arellano at bay once and for all. The two merged for 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists to backstop Dimaano who had 14 markers and seven boards.
Basti Valencia topped the scoring column for the Chiefs with 19 points, while Dom Dayrit chipped in 14 markers and seven rebounds. They dropped to a similar 3-2 slate.
Red Lions roar!
In a three-way tie for third alongside Letran and Arellano is San Beda University which stamped its class all over University of Perpetual Help, 75-44.
RC Calimag waxed hot for 14 points built on four triples as former Adamson High School stalwart JC Bonzaliza impressed in his Red Lions debut with 14 markers.
For the 3-3 Altas, Christian Pagaran was the lone bright spot with 17 points; for the 1-3 Heavy Bombers, Mart Barrera and Joshua Guiab scored 19 and 13 markers, respectively; and for the 1-4 Pirates, Mac Guadana and Simon Penafiel fired 16 markers apiece.
The Scores:
FIRST GAME
LETRAN 80 — Dimaano 14, Galoy 13, Nunag 12, Manalili 9, Montecillo 8, Pradela 8, Estrada 7, Tangkay 5, Baliling 2, Garupil 2, Jumao-As 0, Alarcon 0
ARELLANO 75 — Valencia 19, Dayrit 14, Ongotan 9, Abiera 9, Capulong 8, Geronimo 7, Vinoya 5, Camay 2, Borromeo 2, Miller 0, Acop 0, Dela Cruz 0, Libang 0, Espiritu 0
QUARTERS: 25-18, 49-32, 67-56, 80-75
SECOND GAME
EAC 93 — Pagsanjan 14, Luciano 12, Gurtiza 10, Oftana 10, Ochavo 9, Quinal 9, Tolentino 6, Lucero 5, Umpad 4, Ednilag 4, Loristo 4, Angeles 2, Bacud 2, Doria 2, Bagay 0
LPU 81 — Guadaña 16, Peñafiel 16, Montaño 13, Versoza 12, Barba 9, Daileg 4, Cunanan 3, Reyes 3, Fuentes 3, Villegas 2, Paulo 0, Reyes 0, Pallingayan 0, Caduyac 0, Moralejo 0
QUARTERS: 22-29, 50-53, 79-63, 93-81
THIRD GAME
BENILDE 86 — Ynot 24, Liwag 23, Sangco 9, Turco 8, Eusebio 7, Cajucom 5, Morales 4, Ancheta 2, Galas 2, Cometa 2, Ondoa 0, Oli 0, Jalalon 0, Victoria 0, Serrano 0
JRU 80 — Barrera 19, Guiab 13, Medina 10, Argente 6, Samontanes 6, Lozano 6, Ramos 5, De Jesus 4, Benitez 4, De Leon 3, Sarmiento 2, Pabico 2, Bernardo 0, Panapanaan 0, Garcia 0
QUARTERS: 28-15, 48-39, 65-60, 86-80
FOURTH GAME
SAN BEDA 75 — Calimag 16, Bonzalida 14, Sajonia 9, Alloso 8, Celzo 7, Tagala 6, Puno 5, Payosing 5, Royo 5, Songcuya 0
PERPETUAL 44 — Pagaran 17, Sevilla 7, Ayon 4, Gelsano 4, Boral 3, Movida 3, Gojo Cruz 2, Pizarro 2, Manuel, A. 2, Manuel, B. 0, Orgo 0, Montemayor 0, Thompson 0, Nuñez 0, Cauguiran 0
QUARTERS: 22-12, 41-24, 61-34, 75-44
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