NCAA: EAC boosts Final Four bid with win over Letran

EAC Generals’ King Gurtiza and Harvey Pagsanjan during a win over Letran Knights in NCAA Season 100.–NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals have the Letran Knights all figured out.

The Generals effectively enforced their battle plan on Wednesday, shutting down the enemy’s scoring tandem to defeat the Knights, 68-58, in a pivotal rematch that could dictate their Final Four chances in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.

Harvey Pagsanjan shone on both ends of the floor, holding down the hot-shooting Deo Cuajao while pacing the Generals with 13 points in their seventh victory after 14 games going into another long respite due to the holidays.

READ: NCAA: Benilde nears Final Four, clips EAC behind Allen Liwag

“I told everybody that we cannot lose today. We did it through heart, passion and discipline,” said EAC coach Jerson Cabiltes.

While restraining Cuajao from launching those deadly triples, the Generals likewise worked on forcing Jimboy Estrada out of his comfort zone throughout. Cuajao and Estrada normally averaged a combined output of 30 points each game.

“We specifically reviewed where Jimboy makes his shots and prevented him from taking them in his sweet spots,” said Cabiltes, his Generals now at solo fourth with four games remaining in the semifinals.

Since joining the oldest collegiate league in the country in 2009, the Generals never figured in the Final Four, a feat they could finally achieve this season with Pagsanjan and graduating playmaker King Gurtiza.

Scoreless in the first half, Estrada managed to squeeze 10 points in the latter half, most of which when the Generals already caught them on the ropes while Cuajao went 3 of 13 from the field and finished with nine points.

READ: NCAA: King Gurtiza eager to end EAC’s Final Four drought

Cuajao owned the season-high 34 points in a victory over the San Sebastian Stags.

“Our loss against CSB (College of St. Benilde) was heartbreaking, but we need to move on to a much more vital game against Letran. We simply refused to lose this time,’’ said Cabiltes.

Suffering back-to-back setbacks, the Knights continued to struggle in the second round and dropped to fifth with a 7-8 record.

The scores:

EAC 68 – Pagsanjan 13, Ochavo 10, Loristo 9, Gurtiza 9, Oftana 8, Quinal 6, Jacob 4, Ednilag 3, Doromal 2, Lucero 2, Bacud 2, Bagay 0, Luciano 0

LETRAN 58 – Estrada 10, Nunag 10, Cuajao 9, Monje 7, Miller 6, Montecillo 5, Javillonar 4, Baliling 3, Jumao-As 2, Dimaano 2, Delfino 0

Quarter scores: 15-11, 33-29, 54-45, 68-58