College of Saint Benilde-La Salle Green Hills extended its surge in the NCAA Season 98 juniors basketball tournament after a 79-69 victory against slumping Jose Rizal University on Wednesday at the EAC Gym.
LSGH has now improved to 5-2 following statement wins over Lyceum of the Philippines University, Arellano University, San Beda University, and host Emilio Aguinaldo College while JRU absorbed its fourth loss in a row to go 2-5.
Seven Gagate and Luis Pablo poured in double-double outings with the 6-foot-8 big man churning out 17 points and 10 rebounds while the latter registered 12 markers, 14 rebounds, two assists, and one steal.
James Ison flirted with a double-double as he chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds for the Greenies, who opened their campaign with a tough 0-2 start.
The loss, though, spoiled an impressive performance from Light Bombers' Jhunehl Discutido who listed a game-high 22 points alongside five rebounds.
Meanwhile, Mapua University cruised to a wire-to-wire 86-63 triumph against EAC as the Red Robins grabbed back-to-back wins to go at 6-1 while the hosts remained winless at 0-7.
Mapua led 27-9 at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.
Ricci Santos paced Mapua with 14 points while Joseph Manuel and Paolo Morenos dropped 12 markers apiece.
LSGH and Mapua will next face Colegio de San Juan de Letran and San Sebastian College-Recoletos, respectively, on Friday while JRU and EAC take on San Beda and Arellano.
San Beda also improved its Final Four hopes after crushing Arellano in dominant fashion, 82-53, with Andrei Dungo dropping 20 points, six assists, two steals, two rebounds, and one block as the Red Cubs hiked their standing to 4-3.
Two other San Beda cagers reached double-digit scoring with John Lopez and Chris Hubilla chiming in with 16 and 11 apiece as they sent the Braves to 1-6.
The Red Cubs led by 10 at the half, before unleashing a 25-4 third quarter that blew the game wide open. Hubilla and Dungo led the charge, combining for 14 points in the third alone.
The scores:
First game
Mapua 86 - Santos 14, Manuel 12, Morenos 12, Catapang 10, Rodriguez 9, Dayrit 7, Go 6, Mulingtapang 4, Gonzales 4, Masiglat 3, Agemenyi 2, Coronel 2, Dayrit 1.
EAC 63 - Mariquit 24, Castillo 13, Bonafe 11, Dungo 8, Brazil 2, Falsado 2, Bautista 2, Villanueva 1, Bailon 0, Balan 0, Esusan 0, Cuizon 0, Tecson 0, Bartolome 0.
Quarters: 27-9, 50-23, 71-47, 86-63.
Second game
Benilde-LSGH 79 - Gagate 17, Ison 14, Pablo 12, Mesias 12, Alian 7, Romero 6, Muyuela 6, Gomez 3, Rivero 2.
JRU 69 - Discutido 22, Marin 13, Mina 9, Pineda 8, Rimas 7, De Leon 3, Enal 3, Guarino 2, Dela Cruz 2, Lozano 0, Anglo 0.
Quarters: 20-14, 40-33, 64-51, 79-69.
Third game
San Beda 82 - Dungo 20, Lopez 16, Hubilla 11, Ludovice 7, Lorenzo 7, Mundas 5, Lecciones 4, Sollano 4, Ronquillo 3, Manarang 3, Canete 2, Lacsamana 0, Reyes 0, Wagan 0, Jomalesa 0.
Arellano 53 - Moore 14, Javier 8, Panapanaan 7, Mendoza 5, Reguera 5, Distrito 4, Yu 3, Mallari 3, Jimenez 2, Ortega 2, Nambi 0, Pondoc 0, Espinosa 0, Pascual 0.
Quarters: 16-16, 41-31, 66-35, 82-53.
—JMB, GMA integrated News
