Emilio Aguinaldo College slid past a scrappy Arellano University squad 79-76 after a tight and physical battle in the NCAA Season 99 Seniors Basketball Tournament on Friday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre.
JP Maguliano orchestrated the Generals’ offense with 19 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Ralph Robin followed with 15 points, while Nat Cosejo contributed 12 points.
King Gurtiza struggled for most of the match but stepped up when it mattered most. Eleven of Gurtiza’s 14 points came in the final quarter, which proved pivotal for the Generals.
The game remained a back-and-forth battle until the fourth quarter when EAC managed to secure an eight-point lead, 62-54, following a jump shot from Nat Cosejo with 9:29 left in the quarter.
The Chiefs weren’t willing to go down without a fight and managed to take the lead, with the Generals finding themselves at a 71-74 disadvantage with only 1:52 to go.
In those final two minutes, Gurtiza demonstrated his readiness for the moment by sinking back-to-back triples to regain the lead, 77-74, with 1:06 left on the clock.
Arellano couldn’t recover from Gurtiza’s clutch shots, and the Generals clinched the 79-76 victory.
While Coach Jerson Cabiltes noted that any of his players can step up in critical moments as long as they follow his system, he credited Gurtiza for consistently being prepared to step up when called upon.
“Kung sino yung ma-open based on the sets, he can take the shot as long as its not forced. Lucky for us, King ulit yung napunta sa sitwasyon na yan, and talaga naman na ready siya for the moment,” said Cabiltes.
The Generals improved to 4-2 in the standings, tying for third place with Jose Rizal University. They are scheduled to face San Sebastian College-Recoletos on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Jade Talampas continued his impressive season with 20 points, leading all scorers. Troy Valencia contributed 16 points and six rebounds.
Jeadan Ongotan and Lorenz Capulong each scored 10 points, with Capulong also grabbing 11 rebounds for a double-double.
Arellano’s record dropped to 1-5, keeping them in the ninth spot in the standings. They will face College of Saint Benilde on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
The Scores:
EAC 79– Maguliano 19, Robin 15, Gurtiza 14, Cosejo 12, Angeles 6, Umpad 4, Ochavo 2, Quinal 2, Tolentino 2, Ednilag 2, Luciano 1, Cosa 0, Bacud 0, Balowa 0, Doria 0
AU 76- Talampas 20, Valencia 16, Ongotan 10, Capulong 10, Sunga 6, Geronimo 6, Villarente 3, Mallari 2, Abastillas 2, Dayrit 1, Yanes 0, Rosalin 0
Quarterscores: 18-15; 38-38; 60-54; 79-76
