Generals unhorse Knights
KYLE Ochavo strikes during EAC’s 78-71 win over Letran College on Thursday in Season 102 NCAA basketball tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF NCAA
Games today:
(Filoil EcoOil Centre)
3 p.m. — Perpetual vs San Sebastian
5 p.m. — Saint Benilde ve JRU
Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) spoiled Jonathan Manalili’s return to action, beating Letran College, 78-71, in Group B of Season 102 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The Generals improved to 6-6 win-loss record, pulling level with Arellano University for the group’s second spot and strengthening their bid for a Final Four berth.
Manalili, who had missed several games due to a sprained right knee, played just 20 minutes and finished with eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Instead, EAC big man Jacob Shanoda took center stage with 16 points and eight rebounds, bouncing back from a scoreless outing in the Generals’ 92-89 overtime win over University of Perpetual Help System Dalta.
“In our last game against Perpetual, I didn’t score a single point. Coach Jerson (Cabiltes) told me I needed to bounce back and not let myself be intimidated by the big men we’d be facing in the upcoming games,” Shanoda said.
“I just took that as a challenge, and it paid off today.”
EAC carried an eight-point lead, 45-37, into halftime before opening the third quarter with an 11-6 run capped by a Kyle Ochavo triple for a 56-43 advantage.
The Generals ended the period ahead, 63-51, and continued to pull away in the fourth, building their biggest lead at 72-55 on an EJ Castillo jumper with 5:48 remaining.
EAC also drew solid contributions from its bench, with MJ Raymundo finishing with 10 points and seven rebounds, while Ochavo and Joseph Nunag added nine points each.
Despite the loss, Letran remained atop Group B with an 8-4 record.
Jimboy Estrada and Aaron Buensalida led the Knights with 15 points apiece.