Stags close in on NCAA Final Four, edge Chiefs

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—RK Ilagan and Allyn Bulanadi, San Sebastian’s 1-2 scoring punch, came out in full force as the Stags moved closer to a semifinal appearance with an 85-82 win over the Arellano Chiefs on Tuesday in the NCAA Season 95 men’s basketball tournament.

Ilagan, a penetrate-first point guard, got his game going with 20 points, most of them in the second half that perfectly combined with Bulanadi’s game-long brilliance of 19 points and eight rebounds.

Kenneth Villapando, however, provided the cushion that the Stags needed to keep the Chiefs under control in the closing minutes.

Villapando’s shotclock-beating three and a layup underneath in the final 35 seconds pushed the Stags safely ahead for a fourth-running 10-7 record.

They Stags, who likewise got the stability inside from pivotman JM Calma, need to defeat the Perpetual Altas on Friday to cement their trip to the semis.

Successive threes by Kent Salado and Alfren Gayosa coupled with a steal and a conversion from Jade Talampas pulled the Chiefs within three, but these efforts were not enough to stop them from plunging to their 13th defeat in 17 outings.

The scores:

SSC 85—Ilagan 20, Bulanadi 19, Calma 15, Capobres 15, Villapando 12, Calahat 4, Tero 0, Desoyo 0, Cosari 0, Altamirano 0, Sumoda 0, Isidro 0.

ARELLANO 82—Salado 26, Arana 13, Concepcion 10, Bayla 9, Gayosa 8, Sablan 7, Talampas 3, Espiritu 3, Oliva 2, Alcoriza 1, Sacramento 0.

Quarters: 22-18, 33-35, 57-56, 85-82