Mapua University kept its unbeaten run intact after pulling off a dominant win against slumping Emilio Aguinaldo College, 83-52, in the NCAA Season 99 juniors basketball tournament on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The Red Robins improved to 3-0 to forge a tie at the top spot with another undefeated squad in University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, while the Brigadiers absorbed their back-to-back losses to go 1-2.
Lawrence Mangubat starred anew for the wards of head coach Yong Garcia, putting together a double-double effort of 17 points and 11 rebounds while Sean Salvador unleashed four triples to finish with 18 markers, three boards, and two assists.
The only time EAC held the lead was when Mark Mariquit sank two free throws to give the Brigadiers a 4-3 lead early in the first quarter. Then it was all Mapua from then on, even leading by as much as 36 points after a Jhillian Palis split from the line, 81-45, late in the fourth period.
Palis went on finishing with nine points on top of six assists and two rebounds while Nico chipped in nine markers as well.
For Garcia, however, there are still tweaks needed to be done.
"We're happy na nakuha namin ang tatlong unang win namin pero still, ang sabi ko sa mga bata, ang dami pa ring dapat i-correct, marami pa ring lapses, and hopefully sa darating na ensayo at games, ma-correct namin," said Garcia.
(We're happy we won our first three games but still, I told the kids, we still have things to correct. There are still lapses and hopefully, in the coming practice or games, we can correct it.)
In the penultimate game, San Beda University got its first streak going after holding off Arellano University, 85-77, to capture its second win in a row and improve to 2-1, while Arellano slipped to 1-2.
Hendric Vailoces churned out double-double outing of 14 points and 10 rebounds on top of five assists and two steals while Drei Lorenzo and Kirk Cañete chimed in with 11 and 10 markers apiece.
—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News
