MANILA, Philippines - Leonardo Tamayo led the MLQU Stallions to a 62-59 victory over the Emilio Aguinaldo College-Cavite Vanguard yesterday in the 11th Universities and College Athletic Association (UCAA) men’s basketball tournament at the Central Colleges of the Philippines gymnasium in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
Tamayo scored 18 points for the Stallions, who went on to secure their third win in seven games and remain in contention for a semifinal berth in this cagefest supported by Mikasa and Molten Balls.
With the Stallions slightly ahead, 44-40, at the start of the fourth, Tamayo unloaded nine points in the dying minutes, allowing MLQU to take a 53-40 edge.
Vanguard teammates Christian Ebdane, Patrick Bernal and Adrian Alban trimmed the deficit to 54-59, but Tamayo’s layup in the last 43 seconds kept the Stallions safely ahead at 61-54.
The Stallions will clash next with the league-leading Olivarez College Sea Lions on Tuesday at La Salle-Dasmariñas in Cavite.
Meanwhile, the La Salle-Dasmariñas Patriots (5-1) kept their second-running spot after posting an 86-69 beating of the Philippine School of Business Administration Jaguars last Wednesday.
Jeoffrey Acain showed the way for the Patriots with 19 points.