College of St. Benilde relied on Tony Ynot for offensive firepower and Allen Liwag for defensive dominance as it overcame Emilio Aguinaldo College with a convincing 77-55 victory on Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The win propelled the Blazers to the solo lead in the NCAA Season 100 Seniors Basketball Tournament.
Ynot, who is still mourning the loss of his beloved grandfather, delivered a stellar performance with 16 points, including three successful three-pointers.
Meanwhile, Liwag, who had a modest seven-point outing, made a significant impact on the boards, grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds and blocking two shots.
These standout performances ensured that the Blazers maintained their perfect record, now standing at an impressive 3-0.
“Tony Ynot had to go home because his lolo had passed. Allen struggled offensively but we all know he’s helping us even if he’s not scoring,” CSB head coach Charles Tiu commented.
From the opening whistle, the Blazers established control, utilizing their size and length to dominate inside. They built a lead as large as 23 points, effectively stifling any momentum from EAC.
Despite a late rally by EAC, which saw them close the gap to 11 points at the end of the third quarter, Benilde remained resolute in maintaining their lead.
As the fourth quarter began, Tiu strategically placed the ball in the hands of rookie Anton Eusebio.
The former UP Fighting Maroon responded with back-to-back three-pointers, extending the lead to 18 points and effectively sealing the game early. Eusebio’s nine points, all scored in the final quarter, outpaced the entire EAC squad’s scoring for that period.
Liwag, despite struggling against his former team with only seven points on 3-of-11 shooting, contributed significantly in other areas, including 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal.
Justin Sanchez added 14 points and six rebounds while Jhomel Ancheta also chipped in with 10 points.
With this victory, Benilde improved to a 3-0 record and will seek to extend its winning streak to four games when they face the University of Perpetual Help Systems DALTA on Wednesday at 12:00 noon at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
For EAC, King Gurtiza was a steady scoring presence, leading his team with 13 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Harvey Pagsanjan was the only other General to score in double digits, contributing 10 points.
Despite efforts to retool over the offseason, the Generals are struggling early in their Season 100 campaign, now at a 1-2 record.
They will face San Beda University on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m., also at the Filoil EcoOil Centre, in hopes of ending a 26-game losing streak.
The Scores:
St. Benilde 77 – Ynot 16, Sanchez 14, Ancheta 10, Eusebio 9, Liwag 7, Jarque 7, Cometa 7, Sangco 4, Serrano 2, Cajucom 1, Torres 0, Morales 0, Oli 0, Turco 0, Ondoa 0
EAC 55 – Gurtiza 13, Pagsanjan 10, Ochavo 4, Umpad 4, Quinal 4, Ednilag 4, Oftana 3, Angeles 3, Doromal 3, Luciano 2, Bacud 2, Bagay 2, Loristo 1, Lucero 0, Postanes 0
Quarterscores: 22-15, 41-32, 59-48, 77-55
