Blazers exact payback vs Cardinals to boost semis hopes

Tony Ynot top-scored for St. Benilde with 25 points.

NCAA Philippines / GMA 7

Games Wednesday

(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)

11 a.m. – AU VS JRU (juniors)

2:30 p.m. – AU VS JRU (seniors)

MANILA, Philippines — Sweet revenge.

It came in the form of a 75-65 victory by College of St. Benilde over a familiar adversary in Mapua Tuesday that bolstered the former’s Final Four bid in NCAA Season 101 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Tony Ynot and reigning MVP Allen Liwag presided over the attack, with the former dishing out 25 points and eight rebounds and the latter pounding out 12 points and 10 boards as the Blazers pulled one against the same squad that beat them in last year’s finals.

It was also CSB’s sixth win against three defeats, keeping them in upper half of Group B.

CSB coach Charles Tiu though said the past is all behind them and they’re just thinking of getting better each game.

“We’re just focused on the present,” said Tiu.

Tiu also showed concerns on how poorly they handled the ball as his team turned the ball 21 times.

“We made mindboggling mistakes in the second half. Good thing we defended well enough to win this game,” he said.

The Cardinals, who were paced by Cyrus Cuenco, fell to 4-5 in Group A.

The scores:

CSB 75 – Ynot 25, Liwag 12, Cajucom 8, Sanchez 6, Moore 6, Morales 4, Eusebio 4, Torres 3, Umali 3, Celis 2, Cometa 2, Oli 0, Ancheta 0.

Mapua 65 – Cuenco 14, Sapasap 13, Escamis 11, Concepcion 9, Gonzales 8, Nitura 7, Reyes 4, Igliane 0, Gulapa 0, Recto 0, Ryan 0, Lazarte 0, Callangan 0.

Quarterscores: 30-19; 48-36; 64-58; 75-65