Chiefs, Blazers score wins in Martin Cup

MANILA, Philippines – The Arellano University Chiefs and the College of St. Benilde-B Blazers started the year with the bang and with convincing wins last Saturday at the resumption  9th Fr. Martin Cup Collegiate Open basketball tournament.

James Forrester tallied 14 points for the Chiefs, who fought off the Mapua Cardinals, 89-78, at the St. Placid gymnasium of the San Beda-Manila campus in Mendiola.

The Blazers fought back from four points down in the last period, and banked on a three-point play by Alfonso Saavedra to push off the University of the Philippines Maroons, 69-67.

The Chiefs have picked up their third consecutive win in four matches and this put them in the lead of Group B, while the Blazers hold a 1-0 win-loss card in Group A.

 Levi Hernandez banged in 13 points for the Chiefs, and Prince Caperal had 10, including a pair of drives in the last seven minutes.

 Paolo Taha fired 23 points for the Blazers while Saavedra hit 11.

 Caperal’s contributions came during a decisive 7-0 run in the start of the last period, and helped the Chiefs gain a big foothold, 71-63.

 This allowed the Chiefs to move away, and keep the Cardinals at bay, and after Mapua moved close, 63-64, at the end of the third off Hesed Gabo’s penetration.