Emilio Aguinaldo College center Hamadou Laminou dunks the ball against Lyceum. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Emilio Aguinaldo College showed its muscle and grit as it fended off Lyceum, 64-57, on Sunday to begin its campaign in the NCAA Season 92 Seniors Basketball Tournament on a high note at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
Remy Morada cocked his gun and led the infantry in the fourth with an explosion worthy of promotion as he scored all of his 14 points in the final quarter to push the Generals to the victory.
With the Generals holding a 52-51 late in the fourth, Morada then started to heat up scoring 11 of EAC’s last 12 points.
It was a warm welcome for new head coach Ariel Sison as he witnessed the return of seniors Morada and Igee King to the Generals lineup and a debut win to boot.
“Thankful ako kasi napakaganda ng welcome and first game ko sa seniors and I was given this win,” said Sison. “I’m so thankful for my players.”
“During the huddle I told them [King and Morada] to step up, we really need to win in this season.”
Morada immediately heeded the call as he pushed the Generals to a 10-point lead, 63-53, with a dagger three in the 30.4 seconds mark after making Wilson Baltazar dance at the top of the key.
It wasn’t all fun and games, however, when Reymar Caduyac injured his ankle with 2:49 remaining in the game after his feet got tangled up with Sidney Onwubere’s.
Hamadou Laminou had a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double for EAC while King had 15 points in his return.
Baltazar led the Pirates with 19 points while Mike Nzeusseu added 14 points and 14 rebounds.