Migs Oczon made sure to make a statement in his NCAA debut, steering De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde past Lyceum of the Philippines University, 86-69, in Season 98 on Sunday.
Robi Nayve led the Blazers with 18 points, including 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc while Oczon made a big impact in his first game with CSB, scoring 13 points, nine of those in the second half, and dishing out four assists.
Will Gozum had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds while team captain JC Cullar added 12 markers as well.
CSB took control of the game in the fourth period, outscoring Lyceum, 28-14, behind Nayve and Oczon, who combined for 16 points in the quarter.
Oczon, the Blazers' star transferee, notched two consecutive baskets for a 64-56 lead before a huge triple from him made it a 67-60 game.
Cullar and Nayve then ignited for three-pointers of their own as part of a big run that gave CSB a 77-62 spread with 3:14 left.
CSB is now at 1-0 while Lyceum opened its campaign with a 0-1 card.
Both teams had steady games in the first half, but it was the Blazers who held a 45-40 cushion at the break with Nayve, firing three triples to lead CSB.
Prior to that, the Pirates erected a nine-point advantage, 27-18, after an Enoch Valdez bucket but CSB managed to reclaim the lead after banking on its guards.
With another tight affair in the third, Jimboy Pasturan buried a triple for a slim 56-53 cushion before a split from from Enoch Valdez saw the team separated by only three points, 58-55.
CSB will next square off with San Sebastian College-Recoletos on Friday while Lyceum faces Mapua University on Wednesday.
—JMB, GMA News
