By: Brenn Allen Flores
College of Saint-Benilde extended its winning streak to four games in the NCAA Season 100 Seniors Basketball Tournament by dismantling Jose Rizal University, 80-65, on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Benilde solidified its hold on the top spot in the standings with a record of 10 wins and two losses.
On the other hand, JRU found itself tied with San Sebastian College-Recoletos at the bottom with a 3-9 win-loss record.
“We play every team the same game – that’s how we treat the NCAA. We respect every team,” said Benilde head coach Charles Tiu.
“JRU’s a good team; they’re tough and always play every team close. They’ve lost a few close games at the end, so we wanted to make sure we had some breathing room and played our game,” he remarked.
After the Bombers opened the game with a 9-4 run, Benilde’s Ian Torres sparked a turnaround. He scored eight points off the bench to give the Blazers a 21-17 advantage by the end of the first period.
A 12-2 run to start the second quarter propelled Benilde to a comfortable 33-19 lead, but the Bombers countered with a 13-2 run of their own to tighten the contest at 35-32 midway through the frame.
Justine Sanchez, Joshua Cajucom, and Gab Cometa then led a 7-1 run, allowing the Blazers to create some breathing room before halftime, ending the half at 42-33.
After halftime, Allen Liwag and Jhomel Ancheta exploded for a combined 18 points, securing an 18-point cushion for Benilde after the third quarter, leading 68-40.
Joshua Guiab and the Bombers attempted to rally in the final period, but the deficit proved too much to overcome. The Blazers led by as much as 33 points to secure their four-game winning streak.
Looking ahead, Tiu acknowledged that the Blazers’ path to the Final Four remains uncertain.
“I think we still have a long way to go; we haven’t even clinched a Final Four spot yet. Our goal right now is to finish as the top seed in the eliminations. Now comes the harder part of our schedule, with all the teams fighting for a Final Four spot coming up in succession,” said Tiu.
“Lyceum, EAC, Perpetual, Letran, Mapua, and Beda—those are where the real tests for us will be, and hopefully, we can respond and play well.”
Torres led Benilde off the bench with 16 points on 6-for-12 shooting, while Liwag continued his stellar form, posting a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Blazers will kick off their challenging run of games against Lyceum of the Philippines on Wednesday, October 23, at 11:00 AM.
Guiab led the Bombers with 17 points, while Shawn Argente and Marvin Raymundo contributed 14 and 13 points, respectively.
JRU will look to bounce back against Emilio Aguinaldo College on Wednesday at 2:30 PM.
The Scores
Saint Benilde 80 – Torres 16, Liwag 12, Sanchez 10, Ancheta 9, Eusebio 9, Oli 6, Cajucom 5, Cometa 4, Ondoa 4, Serrano 2, Turco 2, Morales 1, Sangco 0, Jarque 0, Galas 0
Jose Rizal 65 – Guiab 17, Argente 14, Raymundo 13, Pangilinan 8, De Leon 4, Bernardo 4, Mosqueda 3, Lozano 2, Samontanes 0, Panapanaan 0, Sarmiento 0, Ferrer 0
Quarterscores: 21-16, 42-33, 68-40, 80-65
