NCAA: Tony Ynot chalks up career-game to luck, but coach knows he’s a ‘special player’

San Beda Red Lions’ Tony Ynot. –NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Tony Ynot served as San Beda’s x-factor in the team’s recent 72-64 win against Emilio Aguinaldo College at San Juan Arena on Tuesday.

Ynot scored a career-high 25 points to go along with 10 rebounds for a double-double in the Red Lions’ seventh season win in the NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball tournament.

The shifty guard, however, said he was just lucky during Tuesday’s nail-biter.

“Tsamba lang siguro ngayon. ‘Di ko alam kung ano mangyayari sa next game,” he said in jest.

(Maybe I just got some luck today. I don’t know what will happen in the next game.)

Ynot also scored on an efficient 71.4 shooting clip, sinking 10 of his 14 attempts.

Ynot said he was motivated to go all-out especially since the Final Four season is fast approaching.

“Kailangan pa din naman manalo para back-to-back win para tuloy-tuloy na kami sa Final Four,” he said.

(We really need to win so we can have back-to-back games. Hopefully that streak will continue for us to get to the Final Four.)

For coach Yuri Escueta, seeing Ynot go off was not surprising, since he long knew the dynamic playmaker could give them crucial buckets.

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“The way he played [today], that’s how he practiced every day. He was even getting cramps but he was still diving so you can’t say anything bad about him. He’s a special player,” praised the head tactician.

The Red Lions now sit at solo fourth with a 7-4 record.