College of Saint Benilde-La Salle Green Hills finally barged into the win column at the expense of Lyceum of the Philippines University, 95-84, on Sunday in the NCAA Season 98 juniors basketball tournament at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Gym.
Lyceum's Nat Fuentes cut the Junior Pirates' deficit to three after a triple with 3:15 left in the fourth period, before the Greenies made a 7-0 run to extend their lead, 89-79. Matt Rubico tried to salvage the game with 1:08 left, but CJ Mesias and Luis Pablo gave enough breathing room for the Mandaluyong-based squad, despite another Fuentes triple with 14.8 ticks left. Mesias sealed the deal for the green-and-white squad.
La Salle Green Hills big man Seven Gagate stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, four steals, and two blocks, while James Ison waxed hot with four triples to tally 22 points. Mesias and Pablo chipped in 20 points each.
Fuentes caught fire with six triples and scored 24 points, while Rubico made 18 points.
LSGH improved to 1-2, tied with LPU in the standings.
Meanwhile, Jose Rizal University survived the Arellano University and eked out a 56-55 victory for their second win in three games.
PE Enal registered a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while JD Guarino topped the Shaw Boulevard squad with 14 points. JB Discutido proved to be crucial in the win with 11 points.
On the losing side, Jericho Jalalon tallied 18 points while SJ Moore and Paul Regera added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Light Bombers improved to 2-1 while the Braves were kept winless in three games.
Games will resume on Monday as EAC takes on the Colegio de San Juan de Letran, while San Sebastian College-Recoletos will face San Beda University. University of Perpetual Help System DALTA and Mapua University will face off to cap Monday's games.
The scores:
First Game
JRU 56 — Guarino 14, Enal 13, Discutido 11, Mina 7, De Leon 5, Anglo 3, Rimas 3, Capistrano 2, Ilio 0, Lozano 0, Pineda 0.
Arellano 55 — Jalalon 18, Moore 11, Reguera 10, Pondoc 5, Mendoza 4, Nambi 4, Panapanaan 1, Mallari 1, Espinosa 1, Distrito 0, Javier 0, Ortega 0.
Quarters: 13-11, 26-23, 42-33, 56-55.
Second Game
Benilde-LSGH 95 — Ison 22, Mesias 20, Pablo 20, Gagate 19, Alian 5, S. ROMERO 5, Rivero 3, Gomez 1, Hacuela 0, Zaragosa 0.
LPU 84 — Fuentes 24, Rubico 18, Mulligan 11, Mointilla 8, Lobos 6, Matienzo 5, Villa 5, Espinas 3, Torres 2, Poli 2, Pariñas 0, Mondia 0.
Quarters: 21-24, 46-42, 64-65, 95-84.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
