NCAA: Arellano fuels Final Four chase with win over Perpetual Help

Arellano’s Maverick Vinoya during a game against Perpetual Help in NCAA Season 100.–NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Maverick Vinoya fully understands the necessity without reliable big man JL Capulong on the floor.

The versatile Arellano forward kept his team glued together in a swashbuckling fightback to reverse University of Perpetual Help-Dalta, 66-59, on Monday at the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.

“It’s difficult to match the things that JL can do for us. I just pushed myself and took on the role,” said Vinoya in Filipino after muscling his way to 20 points amid Perpetual’s menacing frontline in Capulong’s absence.

READ: NCAA: Arellano big man Capulong surprised by 30-point outing

An immovable force in the middle, the 6-foot-6 Capulong rolled his ankle and was fielded sparingly, rewarding Vinoya the minutes to flourish.

Tmac Ongotan supplied additional weaponry with six of his 11 points coming in the fourth, including a jumper from mid-range that finally gave the Chiefs the lead.

They were trailing most of the way before the Altas’ scoring machinery suddenly conked out bridging the last two quarters.

Smelling blood, the Chiefs held down Perpetual to a lone field goal in the final 10 minutes and completely reversed the trend.

“We were down most of the game, but we just stuck to our game plan, the one that we trained for yesterday,” said Arellano coach Chico Manabat. “It’s all about heart in the end game.”

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

It was the first back-to-back victory for the Chiefs, who tied the Altas at 5-8 that strengthened their Final Four aspirations.

John Abis tallied 12 points and Mark Gojo Cruz added 11 for the Altas, who seemed bewitched after going scoreless for nearly seven minutes in the fourth.

Christian Pagaran’s baseline drive temporarily lifted the curse as the Altas came within 57-59, but the Chiefs were not in the mood to give way.

Ongotan’s fadeaway shot and putback pushed Arellano ahead by six inside two minutes and the Chiefs never wavered from there.

The scores:

ARELLANO 66 – Vinoya 20, Ongotan 11, Abiera 10, Valencia 8, Geronimo 6, Hernal 5, Capulong 4, Borromeo 2, Camay 0, Miller 0, Flores 0, Libang 0

PERPETUAL HELP 59 – Abis 12, Gojo Cruz 11, Nuñez 9, Montemayor 9, Pagaran 7, Boral 7, Pizarro 2, Manuel 2, Javier 0, Gelsano 0, Movida 0

Quarterscores: 16-13, 33-39, 48-55, 66-59