Arellano University bounced back from a three-game losing streak, overcoming a slow start to defeat San Sebastian College-Recoletos, 69-61, and secure a quarterfinal berth in Group B of the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena on Tuesday, November 3.
Sparked by the return of T-Mc Ongotan from an ankle injury, the Chiefs turned things around in the second half. Arellano locked down defensively, holding San Sebastian scoreless for nearly six minutes to improve their record to 6-6 and boost their chances for a quarterfinals advantage.
The loss drops San Sebastian to 0-12 in the tournament, though the team has already secured a spot in the play-in phase.
Ongotan delivered a stellar performance in his return, tallying 22 points, five rebounds, four blocks, and two steals. Teammate Abiera added 19 points, while King Vinoya narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds.
“Mahirap kasi marami kaming struggles, lalo na kaming three straight losses. Kahit nagre-recover ako, sobrang hirap sa sarili ko na wala akong magawa sa team,” Ongotan said.
“Sinunod lang din namin ‘yong sinabi ni coach (Chico Manabat) to commit, defend and share the ball. Kaya namin nakuha ‘tong panalo na ‘to kasi sinunod lang namin,” he added.
On the other side, Kent Bacani paced San Sebastian with 19 points, while Nurben Muktimar chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds.
Upcoming Matches
- Arellano University will face Emilio Aguinaldo College on Monday, November 9, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
- San Sebastian will look to capture its first win of the season against Perpetual on Friday, November 6, at the San Juan Arena.
Meanwhile, Letran has already locked up the top seed in Group B with an 8-3 record, regardless of the remaining elimination round results.