NCAA: Arellano stuns Benilde, JRU beats EAC

Arellano’s Jaedan Ongotan during an NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball game. –NCAA Photo

MANILA, Philippines—Friday may as well have been called the “underdog day.”

Arellano began the day by stunning top-seeded College of St. Benilde, 73-71, at San Juan Arena in a battle of teams at the polar opposites of the standings.

The Chiefs had held a 2-6 card while the Blazers sat atop the pack with a 6-1 record, but those stats were thrown out of the window at the end of the day.

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Arellano held a slim 71-69 lead with time winding down, but  before Benilde could mount a comeback effort, EJ Geronimo drove the lane and stopped at a dime to sink a mid-range jumper over the lengthy arms of Allen Liwag and put Arellano on top, 73-69, with 29.6 to go.

CSB rookie Jhomel Ancheta quickly responded with a deuce to bring the Blazers closer, 73-71, with 25.2 ticks left in the game but that would prove to be their last-gasp effort as they couldn’t manufacture a shot to win or send the game to overtime.

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The Chiefs improved to a 3-6 record, thanks to another big-time effort from Jaedan Ongotan, who finished with 16 points and four rebounds. Geronimo also helped the cause with 14 to his name.

Allen Liwag dropped another double-double effort to the tune of 18 points and 17 rebounds but to no avail as CSB lost grasp of solo-first as it’s now tied with Mapua, which holds an identical 6-2 card.

Heavy Bombers defeat Generals

Jose Rizal University’s Joshua Guiab during an NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball game. –NCAA Photo

Bottom squad Jose Rizal University also defeated Emilio Aguinaldo College, 75-63. They are now in a tie for the seventh seed with identical 3-5 cards.

Joshua Guiab recorded a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds to hand JRU the dub while Robin Bernardo also played a huge factor with 13 to his name.

King Gurtiza scored 15 but to no avail. The same went for EAC’s Paolo Bagay, whose 12 points also went for naught.