FILE–St. Benilde Blazers in NCAA Season 98. –NCAA/GMA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—College of St. Benilde escaped a frustrated San Sebastian, 100-94, to tally its second win of the NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball tournament at San Juan Arena on Sunday.
The Blazers, who stayed unblemished at 2-0, took advantage of an anxious Golden Stags bench, who committed two technical fouls in the third quarter.
“It [technical fouls] helped Migs Oczon get going because he made free throws. All seven of his free throws were from the third. If you’re a shooter and you see the ball going in the net multiple times, it gets you going,” Benilde assistant coach Paolo Layug said.
The Blazers was leading, 57-46, in the third frame when San Sebastian’s bench was slapped with a technical foul for improper bench decorum.
Migs Oczon, who scored 20 of his game-high 25 points in the penultimate period, sank three technical free throws to spark a 9-1 run to take a definitive 66-47 advantage.
San Sebastian head coach Egay Macaraya was then dealt a second technical foul late in the same quarter. Benilde started the fourth frame with an 81-62 lead.
The Stags limited the Blazers’ lead to just five in the last minute of the game to trail 99-94, but Will Gozum split two free throws after an intentional foul to extend the distance.
Gozum finished with 23 markers. Migs Corteza and JC Collar added 18 and 11 points, respectively, in the Blazers’ win.
San Sebastian, which slid to a 1-1 record, was led by Romel Calahat with 21 markers and eight rebounds. Itchie Altamirano finished with 16 markers while Ken Villapando scattered 10.