ARELLANO University ended its two-game losing skid while compounding Mapua’s struggles in the NCAA Season 98 Men’s basketball tournament as it held on to a 64-59 win last Sunday at the Filoil Ecooil Center in San Juan.
Shane Menina proved to be a thorn in the side of his former school, scoring 12 of his 13 points in the second half. All four of his field goals coming from beyond the arc in the stretch.
[READ: Gab Gamboa banned for life from NCAA, lone Mapua win overturned]
The veteran transferee out of Cebu nailed back-to-back three-pointers near the end of the third quarter - none bigger than a step-back three over the outstretched arms of Warren Bonifacio to give his team a 64-56 lead with 28.7 seconds left.
“Grabe yung tiwala ni coach sa akin, ginawa lang role ko sa team na i-ayos yung team, yung mga plays at defense, kailangan lang gawin ng tama,” Menina said.
Axel Doromal led the way for the Chiefs anew as he finished with 16 points while Cade Flores added 14 points, 11 rebounds before fouling out with a little over two minutes remaining in the game.
The all-important win moved the Chiefs to 4-3 (win-loss), right in the mix of a packed leaderboard that included Letran (3-2), JRU (3-2), Perpetual (3-3) and San Sebastian (2-3), all jockeying for position in the race for a place in the Final Four.
Arellano coach Cholo Martin praised his team for showing up and rising above the physicalities of the game.
“Alam naman natin na second place yan [Mapua] last NCAA, intact ang line-up nila so kailangan talaga tumrabaho kami sa depensa, pag nag-relax, patay na naman kami,” Martin said.
“Not only is Mapua [physical], even all other games, they’re playing really physical. Siguro kailangan lang magising ang mga players ko, nagising na rin sila.”
Paolo Hernandez led the way for the Cardinals with 14 points, 11 rebounds and five assists just a few days after their lone win of the season over San Beda was overturned due to the eligibility issues surrounding Gab Gamboa.
The finalists of last season dropped even further down the standings with 0-7 record as they once again struggled with their execution, hitting just 31.6 percent of their shots from the field and having 18 turnovers to just eight assists.
The scores:
Arellano 64 - Doromal 16, Flores 14, Menina 13, Talampas 7, Oftana 6, Tolentino 4, Abastillas 2, Oliva 0, Mallari 0, Mantua 0, Domingo 0
Mapua 59 - Hernandez 14, Gamboa 11, Bonifacio 10, Nocum 10, Pido 6, Agustin 4, Lacap 2, Parinas 2, Garcia 0, Soriano 0, Salenga 0
Quarters: 13-8, 27-26, 46-38, 64-59
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