INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines -- College of St. Benilde used a big third quarter spurt to score a 66-56 upset over Mapua Institute of Technology Wednesday in the National Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball competition at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Swingman Jeff Morial poured 10 points in the third canto, one more than the output of the entire Cardinals in the period to help turn a 21-30 deficit to a 45-40 lead that the Blazers never relinquished.

Morial wound up with a game-high 18 markers to lead St. Benilde to its fourth win in 11 games that also gave the Blazers a mathematical chance of making the Final Four.

The victory also arrested an alarming four-game slide for St. Benilde, which last won when the NCAA Management Committee upheld its protest of the 71-54 win of defending champion San Beda, whose center Sam Ekwe wore the wrong uniform that prompted the complaint. Without that win in the boardroom, the Blazers, who started the season at 2-0, have actually lost eight straight.

"It's a welcome relief, after so many games of frustrations," said St. Benilde coach Gee Abanilla. "Although some of our supporters lost their faith in us, we never gave up."

He added: "It's going to be difficult reaching the Final Four but our goal right now is to improve every game."

The Blazers, who outrebounded the Cardinals, 39-27, also got a huge lift from Anjelo Montecastro and seldom-used guard Dustin Posadas. Montecastro slashed his way to 10 points, while Posadas added 9 markers.

Mapua came into the game buoyed by its 53-48 stunning of San Beda, but the Cardinals were undone by their 21 turnovers with last season's Most Valuable Player Kelvin Dela Pena committing eight.

The setback was another blow to Mapua's Final Four hopes as they dropped to fifth with a 5-5 slate, a full game behind fourth-running San Sebastian, which was playing Letran as of posting time.

In juniors play, the trio of Almond Vosotros, Arvie Bringas and Jamil Ortuoste joined forces for 66 points to spearhead San Sebastian's ninth straight win, an 88-80 trouncing of Letran, which stayed in second with a 6-3 slate. La Salle Greenhills improved to 5-4 with a 102-28 crushing of Mapua in the other game.

The Scores:

St. Benilde 66 --- Morial 18, Montecastro 10, Posadas 9, David 8, Dalanon 8, Manalac 4, Johnston 3, Abolucion 3, Manlapaz 3, Sevilla 0.

Mapua 56 --- Mazo 13, Mangahas 11, Sarangay 8, Dela Pena 7, Banal 6, Guillermo 3, Soriano 2, Pascual N. 2, Acosta 2, Pascual J. 0.

Quarters: 9-12, 21-30, 45-40, 66-56