Generals steal win over Blazers

MANILA, Philippines - “Bottom line was that the players did not give up and they were amply rewarded,” said EAC coach Gerry Esplana.

“We’ve been always starting well. The problem is that we’re throwing away our effort on errors,” Esplana added. “At halftime in this game, I told the guys if we want to win, we have to play defense.”

The Generals chalked up the morale-boosting win just before taking the reigning three-peat champs San Beda Red Lions on Monday.

“San Beda is a powerhouse team. It’s good that we’re coming off this win. Hopefully, we can build on this,” said Esplana, a former Red Cub and Red Lion.

Tayongtong, IG King, Noube Happi keyed EAC’s endgame turnaround.

A veteran guard, Tayongtong came through with 16 points, five assists and three rebounds in a sterling all-around effort topped by his winning hustle play in the last five seconds.

Tayongtong grabbed the loose ball after Juan Paolo Taha committed a big error in attacking a crowded lane while trying to make what’s supposed to be the last offensive thrust in the closing seconds.

But Taha lost possession and, worse, fouled Tayongtong while they’re on penalty situation.

Tayongtong muffed his first charity but made the second one as EAC eventually surged ahead, 73-72, with 5.5 ticks left.

Without a good look at the basket, Jonathan Grey just made a wild attempt as time expired.

John Tayongtong grabbed a loose ball and nailed a charity inside the last 10 seconds, capping Emilio Aguinaldo College’s furious fightback from 12 points down in the final quarter as the Generals nipped the St. Benilde Blazers, 73-72, in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

The Generals pounced on the Blazers’ endgame meltdown, getting away with a 15-2 closing run to snatch the victory and break into the win-column following two straight losses to the Perpetual Help Altas and the Letran Knights.

Ola Adeogun powered his way to 18 points and 16 rebounds while Baser Amer scored eight straight points to key San Beda’s fourth-quarter breakaway en route to a 67-54 win over Arellano U later in the night.

It was the Red Lions’ best showing so far in the tourney after barely beating the Blazers then being upset by the Lyceum Pirates, 66-70.

In juniors basketball, the defending champion San Beda Red Cubs blasted the Arellano Braves, 108-51, while the San Sebastian Staglets downed the Letran Squires, 75-61, to improve their records to 3-0. 

CSB-La Salle Greenhills routed the EAC Brigadiers, 88-49, to enter the win column.

The Blazers, meanwhile, found themselves as the only winless team through six playdates of the tourney, again blowing away what had appeared to be a won ballgame as they did against the San Beda Red Lions on opening day.

They led by 12 points at 70-58 and were still on top at 72-71 with 12 seconds left to play.

The Blazers, however, committed one crucial error after another in the clutch, allowing the Generals to steal the game.