Games Monday
(The Arena, San Juan City)
10 a.m.- Mapua vs Perpetual Help (Jrs.)
11:45 a.m.- San Sebastian vs. Jose Rizal (Jrs.)
2 p.m.- Mapua vs Perpetual Help (Srs.)
4 p.m.- San Sebastian vs Jose Rizal (Srs.)

Team Standings
San Sebastian        6-0
Jose Rizal              6-0
San Beda              5-1*
Letran                    4-3
St. Benilde            4-4
Arellano U              2-4
EAC                      2-4*
Mapua                  1-5
Perpetual Help        1-5
AUF                      1-6

St. Benilde went to captain Jeff Morial in the clutch as it turned back Arellano U, 117-107, in triple overtime yesterday to remain in
the upper half of the standings in the 85th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City. Morial sizzled with a game-high 31 points he laced with four booming triples, two forcing the first OT, one forging the third OT and the other putting the game away to seal the Blazers kept their place at fifth spot with an even 4-4 (win-loss) slate. It was a performance that came on a day Morial, the five-year veteran who erupted with a career-high 32 points in a 73-78 loss to Emilio Aguinaldo last week, celebrated his 23rd birthday. “It was a nice way to celebrate his (Morial) birthday, with a great effort and a victory,” said CSB coach Richard del Rosario, whose 3OT win was his longest a former pro and a coach. The win also made up for the absences of Robbie Manalac, who had gout on his right foot, and the pair of Chuck Dalanon and Jan Tan, who served a one-game suspension for their involvement in a bench-clearing incident in their last game.
“I told the players to overcome adversity, they responded to the challenge,” said del Rosario. Giorgio Ciriacruz erupted for 29 points but he fouled out late in regulation while Adrian Celada, a PBL veteran, finished with the same output as he kept his team’s head above water the rest of the game. But the fouling out of Ciriacruz and five others—Isiah Ciriacruz, Rodan Reducto, Rodrigo Apostol, Ed Rivera, Jerry Miranda and Allen Virtudazo—took its toll on the Chiefs as they tried and failed to keep up with the Blazers in the final OT. Arellano U dropped its fourth straight game after winning its first two outings including a giant-sized win over multi-titled Letran. CSB made a killing from the free throw line as it made a league-high 43 foul shots out of a league-best 63 trips as against Arellano’s 16-of-31 shooting clip there. The two teams were also called a league-worst 78 fouls combined including another NCAA worst 47 fouls by the Chiefs. “We’re achieving our small goals and I think that’s enough for us now,” said del Rosario. 

Meanwhile, three-peat champion San Beda unleashed its vicious running game as it whitewashed Emilio Aguinaldo, 95-71, yesterday to remain at third spot in the 85th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City. Garvo Lanete led his team with 18 points while Sudan Daniel, Bam Bam Gamalinda, Dave Marcelo and Jake Pascual had 14, 13, 11 and 10 points, respectively, to send the Lions to their fifth straight win and sixth overall in seven games to close in on leaders San Sebastian and Jose Rizal (6-0). Argel Mendoza led all scorers with 25 points but the Generals had no match to the Lions’ firepower as they saw their two-game streak snapped by falling to a fifth setback. EAC actually gave San Beda some fight in the early stretch of the second quarter when it seized a 33-31 advantage on back-to-back triples by John Santos. But the Lions came alive after that and launched a series of runs that saw them seizing a 49-38 lead at the break. Then it was garbage points the rest of the way as the Lions finished off the Generals with transition game the latter had no answer.

The scores:
First Game (Jrs) St. Benilde (88) – Flores 26, Sta. Maria 13, Pumaren 11, Vergara 11, Sy 9, Carlos 6, Calaquian 5, Sayson 4, Tanhueco 3, Lee 0, Diaz 0, Sollano 0, Miguel 0. Arellano (65) – Pagayunan 20, Caperal 13, Cruz 7, De Leon 7, Coronel  6, Tolentino 4, Gurrobat 3, Guzman 2, Regalado 2, Perucho 1. QS: 23-17; 49-31; 68-46; 88-65
Second Game (Jrs) San Beda (154) – Dela Cruz 29, Abatayo 23, Ludovice 21, Amer 18, Gotladera 14, Moralde 14, Sara 12, Nayve 10, Javier 6, Dela Costa 5, Lunas 2. Aguinaldo (52) – Canaynay 14, Alanes 13, Cuello 13, Denora 6, Guinita 4, Villamor 2, Booc 0, Laudato 0, Julian 0, Ocampo 0, Mayone 0, Padrones 0, Onwebere 0, Magtaas 0. QS: 47-15; 81-28; 121-28; 154-52
Third Game (Srs.) St. Benilde (117) – Morial 31, Johnston 21, dela Paz 11, Abolucion 11, Montecastro 10, Manlapaz 8, Wong 7, Urra 7, Umlas 5, de Guzman 5, Argamino 1 Arellano U (107) – G. Ciriacruz 29, Celada 29, I. Ciriacruz 13, Reducto 10, Apostol 8, Anquilo 5, Agustin 5, Dimla 3, Rivera 2, Miranda 2, Virtudazo 1, Tayongtong 0, Catapang 0 QS: 16-24; 36-40; 56-57; 80-80 (OT); 88-88 (2OT); 99-99 (3OT); 117-107    Fourth Game (Srs.)San Beda 95- Lanete 18, Daniel 14, Gamalinda 13, Marcelo 11, Pascual 10, dela Rosa 9, Taganas 8, Hermida 6, Tecson 6, Tirona 0 EAC 71- Mendoza 25, Santos 16, Cubo 10, Jabaybay 6, L. Yaya 6, Diolanto 4, R. Yaya 2, Chiong 0 QS: 23-16; 49-38; 71-52; 95-71