MANILA — Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) strengthened its playoff bid in the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament with a stunning 78-71 upset of Group B leader Colegio de San Juan de Letran on Thursday at the Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan.
The Generals improved to a 6-6 record, tying Arellano University for second place in Group B and bolstering their chances of securing a favorable playoff position.
Jacob Shanoda spearheaded EAC’s upset victory with 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists, while Jude Bagay contributed 12 points, including a crucial three-pointer down the stretch.
MJ Raymundo added 10 points as the Generals dominated much of the contest, building a lead that reached 17 points before holding off the Knights’ late comeback attempt.
EAC seized control early with a 21-17 first-quarter advantage and stretched its lead to 45-37 at halftime.
The Generals maintained their momentum in the third quarter, outscoring Letran, 18-14, to establish a commanding 63-51 lead entering the final period.
EAC widened the gap to 72-55 in the fourth quarter before weathering the Knights’ late rally to complete the upset.
Johnsherick Estrada and Aaron Buensalida scored 15 points apiece for Letran, which retained the Group B lead despite slipping to an 8-4 record.
Meanwhile, San Beda University tightened the race for the Group A top seed with a 71-65 victory over Lyceum of the Philippines University, dealing a major blow to the Pirates’ quarterfinal hopes.
The Red Lions improved to 9-3, forging a tie with Jose Rizal University atop Group A.
Lyceum, meanwhile, dropped to 4-8 and was effectively relegated to the fifth seed, leaving the Pirates needing two victories over fourth-seeded Mapua University (6-6) in the play-in round to advance to the quarterfinals.
Dan Marcelo powered San Beda with 22 points, six assists and four steals, while Aldous Torculas nearly recorded a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds.
Bismarck Lina provided a strong presence inside, finishing with nine points and 14 rebounds to help the Red Lions secure the crucial victory./PN
