San Sebastian stays in Final Four race with humbling of Mapua

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

San Sebastian pushed its bid for the fourth spot in the NCAA Season 93 men’s basketball after pulling down Mapua, 97-70, Friday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

The fifth-seeded Golden Stags stopped their three-game losing streak and improved to 8-9, tied with another Final Four-seeking team in Arellano. Both teams are half a game behind the no. 4 Letran.

San Sebastian immediately took control of the match building a 10-point lead, 31-20, at the end of the first quarter en route to the rout.

Alfren Gayosa gave San Sebastian its biggest lead of the game at 88-64 going all the way to the rim with 3:30 left in the fourth.

“This game was all about team effort,” said Golden Stags head coach Egay Macaraya. “We had 21 assists, we had good looks from the three-point line, and the rebounds were there.”

“The whole team wanted to win today and they showed heart, they showed we’re still here.”

The Golden Stags powered through the Cardinals futile inside defense, scoring 48 points in the paint while holding Mapua to just eight in the other end.

San Sebastian also scored on 21 layups while allowing Mapua to only one.

Jayson David ran rampant with 24 points to lead the Golden Stags while Gayosa and Alvin Capobres had 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Christian Bunag put up a 13-point, 16-rebound double-double for Mapua, which is at a miserable 3-14 card.