Generals pull out key win over Knights to stay in F4 race

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

Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) will be going on a weeklong break, but taking a rest won’t be part of the Generals’ itinerary.

“We only have four games left [in the second round]. It all boils down here,’’ said EAC coach Jerson Cabiltes after toppling the Letran Knights, 68-58, on Wednesday in a crucial match that could dictate their Final Four hopes in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.

“We are going to take this opportunity and go all out. We’re gonna go hard each game,’’ said Cabiltes, whose Generals tangle with another Final Four contender—the defending champion San Beda Red Lions—on Nov. 6, as EAC mounts a finishing kick that could catapult them to a historic first Final Four appearance.

Since joining the oldest collegiate league in the country in 2009, the Generals have never made it to the Final Four.

The Generals effectively shut down the enemy’s scoring duo of Jimboy Estrada and Deo Cuajao forcing the Knights’ offensive machinery to conk out.

Harvey Pagsanjan shone on both ends for the Generals as he held down the hot-shooting Cuajao while pacing EAC with 13 points for their seventh victory in 14 games before long respite due to the holidays.

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

Blazers claim semis berth

Meanwhile, College of St. Benilde’s Justin Sanchez practically took it upon himself in holding off Perpetual Help’s fightback with a pair of clutch baskets as the Blazers formalized their Final Four entry with a 61-56 win in the other game.

Leading most of the time, the Blazers saw their double-digit advantage whittle down in the closing minutes before Sanchez saved the day with a turnaround floater down the middle followed by an assertive drive that stopped the rampaging Altas on their tracks.

“We expect our remaining games to become harder as we try to seek that twice to beat. But we’ll be ready,’’ said Sanchez, who finished a team-high 16 points, as the Blazers shoot to finish in the top two for a twice-to-beat edge.

Scoreless in the first half, Estrada managed to squeeze 10 points in the final two periods. But most of them came at a time when the Knights were already on the ropes.

Cuajao, who owns the season mark of 34 points built around seven triples, went 3-for-13 from the field and finished with nine points.

“We specifically reviewed where Jimboy made his shots and prevented him from taking them in his sweet spots,’’ said Cabiltes, his Generals now at solo fourth while the Knights dropped to fifth with a 7-8 record.