SAN JUAN — Emilio Aguinaldo College halted a two-game slide with an 86-78 statement victory over the College of Saint Benilde in the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena on Thursday, October 15.
Entering the matchup as heavy underdogs against a Blazers squad riding a four-game winning streak, the Generals showed relentless composure. The game hung in the balance before EAC broke a 75-all deadlock late in the fourth quarter with a decisive 10-3 blitz, punctuated by a clutch basket from Jude Bagay that sealed the win.
The bounce-back victory improved EAC’s record to 3-5, keeping their hopes for an outright quarterfinal spot alive. Meanwhile, Benilde slipped to 6-2, dropping their second match of the season and allowing Jose Rizal University to claim sole possession of the top spot in Group A.
Joseph Nunag highlighted the team’s defensive intensity and collective teamwork as the keys to taking down the powerhouse Blazers.
“‘Yong adjustments namin, talagang nagsimula sa depensa. Kinailangan talaga namin dumiin sa depensa para makuha ‘tong panalo,” Nunag said. “Collective effort din kami lahat, kaya nahabol namin.”
Nunag led the Generals’ balanced offense with 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Wilmar Oftana added 15 points, Jacob Shanoda chipped in 13, and EJ Castillo finished with 12.
On the other side, Justine Sanchez and John Morales paced the Taft-based squad with 16 points apiece, while Jhommel Ancheta and SJ Moore contributed 14 and 11 points, respectively, in the losing effort.
EAC will look to build momentum when they face San Beda on Monday, October 19, at the same venue, while Benilde aims to recover against Letran on Tuesday, October 20.