MANILA – Arellano University Chiefs broke into the win column of the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament with an 82-66 rout of San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags on Tuesday at the Playtime FilOil Center in San Juan.
Renzo Abiera starred for the Chiefs with a perfect shooting performance, finishing with 19 points on 8-of-8 field goals along with two rebounds and one assist.
King Vinoya and Aldous Cabotaje also delivered 15 points apiece as Arellano pulled away for good to improve to a 1-1 record for the season.
After a tight opening quarter that ended with a slim 23-22 lead, the Chiefs exploded for 25 points in the second period to take a 48-36 advantage at halftime.
The Chiefs continued to dominate in the second half, building their lead to as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter.
For the Golden Stags, Ian Cuajao and Christian Ricio scored 12 points each, while Jhuniel dela Rama posted a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds as San Sebastian dropped to 0-2.
In the other game, the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals escaped with a nail-biting 68-65 victory over the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers. Both teams now carry identical 1-1 records.
With the score tied at 65 in the final minute, Nico Quinal drained a clutch three-pointer to put the Generals ahead for good — a shot that sealed their first win of the season.
Quinal finished with 10 points, eight of which came in the fourth quarter including the game-winner. Wilmar Oftana led EAC with 13 points, while Jaerolan Omandac added 10.
Shawn Argente led the Heavy Bombers with 27 points, while Sean Salvador and Justin Lozano chipped in 11 and 10 markers, respectively./PN
