ARELLANO proved early on that it's a good enough team to put a few wins together and stay afloat in a rather lighter Group B in the NCAA Season 102.
What the Chiefs are yet to do is to prove that they can hang with the very best of them, well until now.
Basti Valencia hit the go-ahead basket with 13 seconds remaining as the Chiefs averted a terrible collapse and took down the defending champions San Beda Red Lions, 56-55, on Tuesday at the Filoil Center in San Juan.
"Wala naman si Batman, andyan naman si Robin," Arellano coach Chico Manabat said, alluding to T-Mc Ongotan as the Batman who exited the game late in the fourth due to what looked like an ankle injury.
"Eksakto. I have two timeouts pa at nagamit natin ng tama. Ang first option si Robin, si Basti Valencia at pinakamaganda roon pumasok yung tira niya," he continued.
"Ine-enjoy ko lang yung panalo at itong game na'to. Sinabi ko lang sa kanila to just believe para dirediretso na tayo para ma-break na natin yung three straight losses."
For a moment in the third quarter, it looked like the Chiefs would cruise to breaking that streak especially after taking 40-25 lead early in the third period.
The Red Lions, however, had other plans.
San Beda went on a 16-0 run to bridge the third and fourth periods, as it turned a 48-35 deficit to a 51-48 lead after an RC Calimag three midway through the final quarter.
Ongotan promptly responded with a three-pointer of his own, before Ernest Geronimo and Aldous Torculas exchanged baskets in the ensuing possessions.
Arellano would then collectively hold its breath after seeing Ongotan limp out of the floor with 2:42 remaining and the Chiefs down by one, 55-53, after a collision with RC Calimag hurt his ankle.
That pretty much set the tone for the wild finish.
Aaron Manansala split his free throws to trim the San Beda lead to one before the Chiefs forced a stop on the other end and had a streaking AG Borromeo prime for a fastbreak go-ahead lay-up, but Torculas came out of nowhere to block the shot and deny Arellano the go-ahead.
That would come two possessions later as Valencia hit a tough fadeaway jumper over Penny Estacio with 13 seconds left before Borromeo got the last laugh by locking up Torculas in the last possession to secure the win for the now 5-3 Arellano.
Ongotan finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists. While Borromeo and Valencia chipped in seven apiece in the low scoring affair.
Torculas led the Red Lions with 17 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and two steals while Daniel Marcelo chipped in 10 as San Beda slipped to 5-3.
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