San Sebastian Stags celebrate. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
San Sebastian may be out of contention in the NCAA Final Four but it made good against Emilio Aguinaldo College, 91-77, Thursday at San Juan Arena.
The Stags, though, had to fend off a last ditch rally for the Generals as they saw their 20-point lead dwindle down to just two, 77-75, with 3:47 left in the fourth quarter.
Jamil Ortuoste spearheaded an 8-0 run to put San Sebastian up 85-75 with 1:24 left in the game.
Stags head coach Rodney Santos said he doesn’t want his players to feel the pressure but instead play with the joy the game of basketball gives especially at the tailend of the season.
“They have to play with joy, I don’t want the pressure to mount on them,” Santos said as his team notched their fourth victory.
“I just tell them that every game they should have a positive attitude.”
Ortuoste then put the game beyond reach with a 89-77 lead with less than a minute remaining after sinking two freethrows.
Ortuoste finished with 24 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals while Spencer Pretta added 19 points.
Bradwyn Guinto had an 11-point, 17-rebound outing for San Sebastian.
Laminou Hamadou powered through for the 2-12 Pirates with 20 points and 13 rebounds while Sidney Onwubere also finished with a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
EAC now rides a miserable seven-game losing streak.