MANILA, Philippines — ARELLANO used a blistering first quarter to drub San Sebastian, 98-72, in Group B of the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena on Monday.
The Chiefs opened the game with a feisty 10-0 run and never looked back, taking a 34-22 lead after the opening quarter.
“We prepared physically and mentally. They may not see everything we’ve been doing behind the scenes, but aside from that, the players made a commitment to this season,” coach Chico Manabat said.
“They played until the end. We saw the killer instinct that we’ve been talking about.” Things only got worse for the Golden Stags in the second period as Arellano blew the game wide open, taking an insurmountable 61-36 lead at halftime.
The Chiefs continued to pull away in the second half, leading by as many as 29 points at 84-55.
T-Mc Ongotan led the charge for the Chiefs with 23 points, six assists and three steals, while Basty Valencia and Renzo Abiera chipped in 12 points apiece in the victory.
Matt Acosta’s double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds went to waste for the Stags, while John Ynot also scored 13 points in the defeat.
