Blazers pull out rough win over Tigers

Heated game between St. Benilde and University of Santo Tomas. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

College of St. Benilde got exactly the kind of game it needed—and the positive result to boot—in a physical 99-87 victory over University of Santo Tomas in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup on Tuesday.

Tempers flared and players were ejected as the Blazers and the Growling Tigers engaged in a dirty contest before Benilde prevailed to rise to 5-0 at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

“It was a very physical game out there,” Benilde coach TY Tang said. “That’s one thing that we also need. This kind of environment is going to help us toughen up.”

The game got testy early with Benilde guard RR Pagulayan and UST counterpart Marvin Lee going at each other with Pagulayan getting ejected late in the third quarter after being called for an unsportsmanlike foul and a technical.

Santo Tomas’ Ira Battaler also got tossed out in the same sequence.

Far Eastern University, meanwhile, got back on track and dealt Adamson a first loss after a 75-64 win.

The Tamaraws bounced back from a defeat to the Blazers and improved to 2-1 as every player who saw action for coach Olsen Racela scored.