EAC nips LPU to barge into Season 97 win column (Sabong News)
Author
Reynald I. Magallon
Date
APRIL 02 2022
Emilio Aguinaldo College leaned on its defense in the final seconds to come away with a narrow 70-69 victory over Lyceum and barge into the win column of the NCAA Season 97 senior men’s basketball tournament at the La Salle Green Hills Gym on Saturday, April 2.
The Generals survived a furious Pirates rally late in the fourth quarter as Renzo Navarro and Enoch Valdez connived in a last ditch 11-0 run to cut the once 12-point deficit, 58-70, to just one, 69-70.
LPU had multiple chances to take the lead, first with 2.3 seconds left but the EAC defense managed to hold its ground tapping the ball out twice, the last one with 2.0 second left in the game clock.
EAC then dodged a huge bullet in the final 1.6 seconds as Mclaude Guadana missed the potential game-winner off an inbound pass from Navarro.
Marwin Taywan orchestrated the attack for the Generals with 14 points and eight assists while JP Maguliano scattered a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds.
The two starred in EAC’s blistering 18-6 run to open the fourth quarter. A Taywan trey in the middle of that run gave the Generals a double-digit spread in the payoff period at 66-55. Navarro tried to carry the fight for the Pirates but Maguliano capped the blazing run with a booming triple to erect the 70-58 advantage.
LPU, though, tightened up its defense in the final five minutes as EAC went scoreless in the final minutes setting up the cardiac conclusion of the game.
After rough start to its season, the latest an 85-81 loss to San Beda last Wednesday, EAC finally scored its first win and improved to a 1-2 record in the standings. Lyceum, on the other hand, now sits at the cellar of the standings after a 0-3 start to its Season 97 campaign.
The Scores:
EAC 70 — Taywan 14, Maguliano 13, Cosa 10, Liwag 8, Robin 6, Quinal 5, Gurtiza 5, Luciano 4, Doria Ad. 2, Cadua 2, Umpad 1, Doria An. 0, Fuentes 0, Bunyi 0.
LPU 69 — Bravo 12, Navarro 9, Cunanan 9, Valdez 9, Barba 9, Remulla 8, Larupay 7, Guadaña 3, Gaviola 2, Umali 1, Guinto 0, Silvarez 0, Jabel 0.
Quarters: 22-9, 37-34, 52-52, 70-69
