St. Benilde Blazers earn first win of the season. –NCAA/GMA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The College of St. Benilde used a dominant fourth quarter to blow past Lyceum, 86-69, in the men’s basketball tournament of NCAA Season 89 at San Juan Arena on Sunday.
The Blazers used the last six minutes of the game to pull away from the Pirates to gain their first season win.
“They pulled away in the fourth quarter, that’s all them. They all made the plays we needed in order to win and I’m happy they were able to figure it out on their own,” Benilde head coach Charles Tiu said after the game.
The Pirates were lagging behind, 64-60, with 6:44 remaining, when Blazer sniper Migs Oczon sank a triple to spark a game-deciding 13-2 run to pull away for a 77-62 lead for St. Benilde.
Lyceum, which drew its first loss of the season, blew a 25-18 first quarter lead after giving up an 11-4 Blazers run in the second that tied the game at 29-all.
The Blazers rode their momentum until halftime, 45-40, behind Robi Nayve’s nine first half points, all from the three point line. He finished with a game-high 18 points.
Oczon helped Benilde’s cause with 13 points while Will Gozum and JC Collar tallied 12 apiece.
JM Bravo led Lyceum in scoring with 12 markers while Enzo Navarro had an all-around game to the tune of 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds.