The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Blazers struggled to sustain momentum against the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals, 78-86, crippling after a tight showdown today, Oct. 15, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
The opening quarter was a neck-and-neck battle with multiple deadlocks between both teams. Mowell Morales notched the first points of the game with consecutive buckets for the Blazers, while EJ Castillo steered the Generals’ offensive pace to keep them within reach. Benilde’s Matthew Jucom caught fire from the deep to widen the gap, allowing SJ Moore to score a three in the final minute, ending the opener at 29-23.
The second canto saw the Blazers in a commanding display after Moore sank a three to establish a 19-point lead—the largest of the game. EAC’s Kelly Coronel split free throw outings to trim Benilde’s lead, but Morales and Justine Sanchez’s contributions allowed the Blazers to comfortably head into the second half with a 16-point lead, 56-40.
In the third frame, Wilmar Oftana carried EAC’s momentum with a hefty layup and back-to-back shots from beyond the arc. Jhommel Ancheta retaliated and maintained the men in green and white’s poise. However, the Generals clawed their way back in the game with conversions from the charity stripe, as Castillo’s layup cut the deficit to 3, 71-68.
The decider was another back-and-forth affair, with both squads determined to boost their season campaigns. The Generals sustained their pace as Oftana buried a three, giving them their first lead since the opening quarter. Ancheta and Morales tried to spark a run for the Blazers, but Joseph Nunag’s late-game rally secured the Generals’ comeback, handing the Blazers their second loss of the season, 78-86.
The Blazers aim to rekindle their fire in a joust against the Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) Knights on Oct. 20, 3 p.m., at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, with a live telecast on One Sports on YouTube, PilipinasLIVE on CignalPlay and NCAA NXT on Cignal TV.
Box Scores:
DLS-CSB (78): Sanchez 16, Morales 16, Ancheta 14, Moore 11, Jucom 6, Arciaga 5, Cajucom 5, Podador 3, Go 2, Torres 0, Lorenzo 0, Daja 0, Jarque 0
EAC (86): Nunag 17, Oftana 15, Shanoda 13, Castillo 12, Bagay 7, Coronel 7, M. Raymundo 6, H. Raymundo 3, Bonus 3, Ochavo 3, Luna 0, Sealey 0
Quarter Scores: 29-23, 56-40, 71-68, 78-86
