NCAA: Arellano clips Lyceum behind JL Capulong’s career game

Arellano’s JL Capulong dominates in Arellano win over Lyceum in NCAA Season 100.–NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–JL Capulong overpowered an undersized Lyceum University side as Arellano University prevailed, 91-86, on Saturday at the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.

Exploiting the obvious mismatch around the rim, the heavy-duty 6-foot-6 pivotman dominated the entire frontline of the Pirates with a career-high 30 points and 16 rebounds as the embattled Chiefs began their rigorous climb out of the pits.

“It was all part of our game plan, maximize the strength of our bigs,” said Capulong in Filipino, who displayed a complete package of knocking down shots from mid-range and a variety of short jumpers apart from his invincible presence down low.

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While Capulong kept the Arellano offense humming throughout with double-double figures right in the first half, speedy guards Maverick Vinoya and Ernest Geronimo sealed their fourth victory in 12 games in the final minute.

After the Pirates knotted the count at 88 on John Barba’s incursion and free throw, Geronimo drove through the teeth of the Lyceum defense to break the deadlock before Vinoya raced down the floor for a swift lay in off a baseball pitch from the other end.

Lyceum’s JM Bravo passes out as his teammates check on him after a head-to-head collision with Arellano’s Renzo Abiera late in the Pirates’ loss to the Chiefs in NCAA Season 100.–NCAA PHOTO

“We are at the bottom of the standings and coach (Chico Manabat) insisted that we should all work hard together and win one game at a time,” said Capulong.

With the Chiefs ahead by four, the Pirates scrambled for a quick basket on the opposite side in three consecutive possessions that yielded nothing, except for an immobile John Bravo on the floor.

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Bravo lost his footing in a rebound scuffle and got banged up in a head-to-head collision with Renzo Abiera with eight seconds remaining as the Lyceum wingman was about to hit the deck.

Bravo laid there motionless but was heavily breathing for a few minutes before he was stretchered out of the court that had the entire Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan freakishly worried. He regained consciousness at the team’s dugout.

Coming off a lethargic performance in their previous match, Barba led the Pirates with 18 points while Bravo added 17 as they absorbed a sixth defeat in 12 games.

The scores

ARELLANO 91 – Capulong 30, Vinoya 14, Valencia 9, Miller 9, Borromeo 7, Abiera 4, Camay 4, Geronimo 4, Hernal 3, Flores 3, Libang 2, Ongotan 2, Rosalin 0

LYCEUM 86 – Barba 18, Bravo 17, Villegas 15, Montaño 10, Daileg 9, Peñafiel 5, Aviles 4, Versoza 4, Panelo 4, Pallingayan 0, Moralejo 0, Cunanan 0

Quarter scores: 26-17, 54-46, 72-68, 91-86