Shaq Alanes. INQUIRER.net PHOTO/TRISTAN TAMAYO
He’s named after one gargantuan center and he came up big for Lyceum.
Shaq Alanes drained the go-ahead triple to lift Lyceum of the Philippines University over College of St. Benilde, 72-69, for its first win in the NCAA Season 91 Thursday at San Juan Arena.
Alanes found himself open in the left corner as he made the triple over the closing Jose Saavedra, 70-69, with 6.7 seconds remaining in the game.
Pirates head coach Topex Robinson said their first win in three games is the testament if their character as a team and a reflection of the players as well.
“It’s really a test of our character,” Robinson said. “The players they never gave up.”
Lyceum had an eight-point lead, 62-54, after Joseph Gabayni converted an and-one opportunity with 5:38 remaining in the fourth.
CSB, however, would not roll over as the Blazers went on a 15-7 run with Jonathan Grey splashing a three-pointer in the face of Jebb Bulawan with 39.6 seconds left to put the boards at 69-67.
“We were not surprised that Benilde would gonna catch up,” Robinson said.
Alanes, a 5-foot-11 of a guard, led the Pirates with 18 points, nine in the fourth, while Noah Lugo added 16.
Joseph Gabayni, who was not supposed to play after coming in late for practices, had 11 points and seven boards for the Pirates who saw starting center Jean Nguidjol get ejected after getting a disqualifying foul when his closed fist almost hit the Blazers’ Jeffrey Ongteco in the 8:07 mark of the second quarter.
Grey led the 1-3 Blazers with 19 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter.
The Scores:
LYCEUM 72 – Alanes 18, Lugo 16, Gabayni 11, Baltazar 10, Ayaay 8, Soliman 2, Nguidjol 2, Marata 2, Lacastesantos 2, Bulawan 1, Sunga 0, Malabanan 0, Taladua 0, Mbida 0, Elmejrab 0.
ST. BENILDE 69 – Grey 19, Saavedra 12, Nayve 11, Ongteco 7, Fajarito 7, Jonson 6, Flores 3, JJ Domingo 2, Castor 2, JS Domingo 0, Deles 0, Sta. Maria 0, Dixon 0, Young 0, San Juan 0.
Quarters: 16-16, 30-29, 44-38, 72-69.