Arellano Chiefs coach Cholo Martin. NCAA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Arellano dealt with injury woes and fell to San Beda on Wednesday.
With several of its key cogs ailing, the Chiefs struggled mightily against the Red Lions and suffered their seventh loss in 12 outings.
Arellano played minus Cade Flores, Joshua Abastillas and Neil Tolentino, who are all nursing injuries. Flores and Abastillas both sat out with a sprained ankle while Tolentino missed the game due to back pain.
Shane Menina also tried to play through a back injury and managed to only log a total of 36 seconds before spending the remainder of the game on the bench.
“[Losing them] is such a big factor because they are my first five. We fought today and it wasn’t enough. We didn’t have much rotation,” said Arellano coach Cholo Martin after the Chiefs’ 76-63 loss to the Red Lions.
The players’ status for Friday’s game against San Sebastian (4-6) is still up in the air.
The Stags beat the Chiefs, 60-51, in their first-round duel last September 13.