Chiefs down Blazers, stay in Final 4 hunt

Games tomorrow

4 p.m. – Jose Rizal vs EAC

6 p.m. – Perpetual Help vs San Sebastian

MANILA, Philippines - Prince Caperal stepped up to fire 25 points and haul down eight rebounds as Arellano U downed St. Benilde, 76-70, to stay in the playoff hunt for the last Final Four berth in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

The 6-6 Caperal, a fourth year Hotel and Restaurant Management student, highlighted his explosive performance with 11 free throws and proved to be a big factor on the defensive end as the Chiefs notched their seventh win against nine losses.

Arellano, however, remained in sixth and will need to sweep its last two games against Jose Rizal U and San Beda next week and hope fourth running San Sebastian and No. 5 Emilio Aguinaldo College won’t go over nine wins to force a playoff for the last semis seat.

The Stags tote a 9-7 record with two games left while the Generals have an even 8-8 card, also with a pair of assignments remaining.

Letran (14-3), San Beda (13-3) and Perpetual Help (11-6) clinched the first three slots in the Final Four with the Knights and the Lions disputing the top seeding in the semis.

“It was a team effort but he (Caperal) played huge for us, he scored, rebounded and bothered shots when we need it most,” said Arellano U coach Koy Banal.

Despite being out of the semis race, the Blazers still went for the win with Paolo Taha finishing with 20 points, and Jonathan Grey and Mark Romero adding 13 and 12 markers, respectively.

St. Benilde fell to 5-11.

Caperal took charge in the final four minutes, scoring five points to defuse St. Benilde’s fightback.

With the Blazers threatening to within two, Caperal responded twice with clutch baskets, one right in the fourth-minute mark and another a minute later.

He iced the game with a split with 30 seconds to go.

In the nightcap, Lyceum downed Mapua, 78-69, in a non-bearing game for its seventh win against 10 losses. The Cardinals took their 15th defeat against two wins.