MANILA — T-Mc Ongotan caught fire when it mattered most, delivering a career performance that fueled the Arellano University Chiefs’ stunning 72-67 upset over the heavily favored College of St. Benilde Blazers in the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday at the Playtime FilOil Center.
Ongotan erupted for 28 points, spiked by four triples, on top of four steals and three rebounds — his best outing so far this season — as the Chiefs snapped the Blazers’ two-game winning streak and climbed to 3-3 in Group A.
“Every shot I took was from the trust of my teammates,” said Ongotan, who also drained the dagger three-point play that quashed St. Benilde’s late-game rally. “We just believed in one another to finish strong.”
After a close first quarter, Arellano broke loose in the second with a 25-12 run, capped by an Ernest Geronimo basket for a 42-27 lead.
But the Blazers, anchored by Shawn Umali and Justine Sanchez, fought back to narrow the gap to 67-69 in the dying seconds before Ongotan sealed the win from the stripe.
Sanchez led St. Benilde with 16 points, followed by Winston Ynot’s 13, while Umali and Gab Cometa added 12 apiece as the Blazers slid to 3-2.
In the other game, Emilio Aguinaldo College also improved to 3-3 after a dominant second half to defeat San Sebastian College-Recoletos, 86-71.
Wilmar Oftana turned in an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double, with Jude Bagay and Aldeo Lucero contributing 17 and 13, respectively.
The Generals, who led by a single point at halftime, 38-37, broke away behind Oftana and Bagay to erect a 63-55 third-quarter cushion, eventually stretching it to 17 in the payoff period.
San Sebastian’s Jhuniel Dela Rama fought valiantly with 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Oneil Castor added 13 in the loss./PN
BOX SCORE
ARELLANO 72 — Ongotan 25, Valencia 9, Camay 7, Vinoya 6, Geronimo 6, Abiera 6, Libang 5, Cabotaje 5, Borromeo 0, Buenaventura 0, Hernal 0, Anama 0.
CSB 67 — Sanchez 16, Ynot 13, Cometa 12, Umali 12, Gaspay 4, Galas 4, Oli 2, Torres 2, Eusebio 2, Celis 0, Moore 0, Ancheta 0, Morales 0, Cajucom 0.
Quarterscores: 17-15, 45-39, 62-57, 72-67.
