Red-hot San Sebastian College-Recoletos grabbed its fifth consecutive win after stunning Mapua University in a tight 60-58 contest to bolster its Final Four hopes in the NCAA Season 98 juniors basketball tournament on Friday.
San Sebastian, which opened its campaign with a 1-2 start, has now improved its standing and forged a tie with Mapua at 6-2 behind Colegio de San Juan de Letran, still leading the pack at 6-1.
Louie Datario collected 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one steal in the victory while Stephen Jardinico chipped in 16 markers, six boards, one dime, and one steal.
Nicolo Mulingtapang and Nygel Gonzales led the Red Robins with 16 and 10 points apiece, but those weren't enough as Mapua wasted a double-digit lead to absorb their second loss.
Meanwhile, Arellano University secured its second win in eight games after eking out a 73-66 triumph over Emilio Aguinaldo College with SJ Moore still continuing to flex his prowess in the junior ranks.
Moore dropped 14 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block while he got ample help from Axel Javier and Michael Yu who chimed in with 12 and 10 markers each.
EAC, who sank to 0-8, was led by Lance Dungo who finished with 19 markers, six boards, and three assists.
The scores:
First game
San Sebastian 60 - Datario 19, Jardinico 16, De Leon 11, Parba 8, Danag 4, Procadas 2, Balbao 0, Hernandez 0, Caysido 0, Bandino 0, Reyes 0, Bularin 0, Rojas 0.
Mapua 58 - Mulingtapang 16, Gonzales 10, Coronel 8, Morenos 7, Agemenyi 5, Valina 5, Salvador 5, Rodriguez 2, Masiglat 0, Go 0, Manuel 0, Santos 0.
Quarters: 10-16, 26-23, 44-34, 60-58.
Second game
Arellano 73 - Moore 14, Javier 12, Yu 10, Reguera 9, Pondoc 7, Panapanaan 5, Jimenez 5, Pascual 5, Nambi 2, Mendoza 2, Espinosa 2, Mallari 0, Ortega 0, Distrito 0.
EAC 66 - Dungo 19, Castillo 14, Bautista 12, Balan 9, Mariquit 6, Bailon 2, Villanueva 2, Tecson 2, Tenorio 0, Esusan 0, Romero 0, Falsado 0.
Quarters: 17-15, 36-29, 56-50, 73-66.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
