ARELLANO’S Levi Hernandez forces a shot off Bradwyn Guino and JonOrtuoste of San Sebastian. AUGUST DELACRUZ
Arellano coach Jerry Codinera’s playing days have long been over, but he admitted feeling pain on his back as he entered the press room.
But that was just about the only complaint that the Chiefs coach had following another sparkling performance by his team last night.
With their point guard coming up with his finest performance yet, the Chiefs wore down the San Sebastian Stags with their lethal up-tempo game for a 96-86 victory in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
“I think I’m having back spasms,” Codinera, the former PBA great, who took the helm at the Arellano bench just this season, said jokingly.
Demonstrative and animated on the sidelines, Codinera watched as his Chiefs played with boundless energy to stun one of the contenders this season, while boosting their stock further.
“We haven’t won against San Sebastian and we saw this as a good opportunity. We just had to believe in ourselves that we could do it,” said Codinera, whose team had 30 assists on 38 field goals as well as 29 fastbreak points.
Jiovani Jalalon took charge on both ends with career bests of 21 points, 13 assists and seven steals, while Keith Agovida and Allen Enriquez finished with 17 points each for the Chiefs, who notched their fourth win in five outings.
And with Jose Rizal U snapping Perpetual Help’s three-game winning streak earlier with a pulsating 62-61 win, the Chiefs found themselves at No. 2 behind the San Beda Red Lions.
The Bombers found an unlikely hero in Dave Sanchez, who was at the right place at the right time and turned an airball by Philip Paniamogan with 2.8 seconds remaining for the marginal basket.
Struggling to get their game going due in large part to the Bombers’ suffocating defense, the Altas looked to have snatched the win when Earl Thompson scored on a layup with 11 seconds remaining after a JRU turnover.
But the Bombers still had enough time for one more possession, even as the Altas failed to use up their two fouls to give to disrupt the play.
Paniamogan wound up with 16 points, including seven in the last three minutes.
Averaging 22.7 points heading into the game, Thompson was held to just nine points and also had the same number of turnovers. The Altas did get a big game from Harold Arboleda who finished with 11 points and a season-high 20 boards.
The scores:
First Game
JRU 62—Paniamogan 16, Benavides 8, Mabulac 8, AbdulWahab 6, Sanchez 6, Asuncion 6, Lasquety 4, Grospe 4, Salaveria 2, Teodoro 2.
PERPETUAL HELP 61—Baloria 22, Arboleda 11, Alano 10, Thompson 9, Jolangcob 5, Ylagan 2, Bantayan 2, Oliveria 0, Dizon 0, Gallardo 0, Sadiwa 0, Dagangon 0.
Quarters: 17-17, 31-37, 47-49, 62-61
Second Game
ARELLANO 96—Jalalon 21, Enriquez 17, Agovida 17, Holts 13, Hernandez 12, Caperal 7, Pinto 7, Ortega 2, Gumaru 0, Salcedo 0, Nicholls 0, Ciriacruz 0, Bangga 0.
SAN SEBASTIAN 86—Perez 22, Guinto 19, Ortuoste 11, Dela Cruz 10, Yong 9, Calisaan 6, Camasura 3, Costelo 3, Balucanag 2, Aquino 1, Fabian 0.
Quarters: 18-14, 43-37, 68-64, 96-86