NCAA: Arellano ends skid, stuns top team Lyceum

Arellano Chiefs’ Cade Flores. –NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Arellano snapped its three-game losing streak at the expense of top team Lyceum, 77-63, in the second round of the NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball tournament at San Juan Arena on Wednesday.

The Chiefs returned to the win column after losing to defending champion Letran in a one-sided affair, 65-53, on Friday.

“Our adjustments were good. For the last few days we’ve been adjusting because we needed a lot of corrections. We were leading in that game against Letran and then we lost,” coach Cholo Martin said.

Lyceum, which dropped to an 8-4 record, led by one after a neck-and-neck first half, 34-33.

The Chiefs then went on a rampaging 31-point third quarter to take the definitive lead, 64-48, and the Pirates were not to recover after.

Cade Flores finished with a double-double for Arellano, which improved to a 5-6 card, with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Axel Doromal helped their cause with 18 points.

Renz Villegas finished with 14 markers while JM Bravo finished with a solid stat line of 12 points and 12 boards in a losing effort for Lyceum.

The Scores:

ARELLANO 77 — Flores 23, Doromal 18, Talampas 9, Menina 8, Mallari 6, Tolentino 6, Domingo 2, Abastillas 2, Sunga 2, Oliva 1, Mantua 0, Oftana 0.

LPU 63 — Bravo 12, Villegas 12, Barba 9, Valdez 9, Navarro 4, Umali 4, Larupay 3, Montano 3, Vinoya 3, Cunanan 2, Guadana 2, Aviles 0, Caduyac 0, Culanay 0.

Quarters: 20-21, 33-34, 64-48, 77-63.