MANILA, Philippines — While a win is a win, College of Saint Benilde head coach Charles Tiu did not mince his words in his team’s “embarrassing performance” against the San Sebastian College-Recoletos.
The Blazers survived the fiery fourth quarter comeback of the Golden Stags after prevailing in overtime, 96-94, in the NCAA 100 men’s basketball tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Tuesday, Oct. 1
For the Benilde head tactician, his team only got “lucky,” as his squad committed a whooping 31 turnovers (21 turnovers were made in the second half), while San Sebastian only made 13.
“I am not happy at all, this is probably, maybe the worst win of my life. I don’t want to say anything ’cause I am mad, I am really, really mad. That’s an embarrassment. We are a joke right now,” Tiu said out of disappointment.
“You give up 31 turnovers, it’s like we’re giving them the ball already, you can’t make free throws… I don’t know… It’s a sh*t game for us, we’re lucky we get away with the win, but whatever.”
The Golden Stags recorded 20 steals over the Blazers, who only made nine.
The Blazers held a 26-point cushion in the third, 67-41, but the Golden Stags showed patience and slowly trimmed the lead to 12 in the fourth frame, 84-72.
In two minutes and 56 seconds of the fourth quarter, the Golden Stags challenged Allen Liwag to force him to convert a turnover that allowed Tristan Felebrico and Paeng Are to convert a bucket and a triple, making the match a three-point game, 84-81.
After Benilde shot its free throws, 87-81, as San Sebastian was already in the penalty, the Golden Stags stole the ball thrice, allowing Ameer Aguilar and Raymart Escobido to score, 87-85.
Are made a flawless jumper to tie the match at 87-all with 47.8 seconds remaining, and Mark Sangco struggled to inbound the ball that sent the game into overtime.
Both teams traded blows in the stretch of the match, with, 91-90, and Winston Ynot made a jumper to give the Blazers a slim lead, 92-91.
With 45.1 seconds remaining Escobido drained a triple, but Justin Sanchez responded with a hustle play to tie the match at 94-all.
Jhomel Ancheta escaped the Golden Stags defense and scored via layup in the last 3.3 seconds, 96-94, which gave the Blazers victory.
“All of my point guards are committing turnovers, five turnovers, four turnovers, they were all over the place. And I said, okay give Ancheta a chance, even though that bucket of Ancheta was just ‘chamba,'” he said.
“I am just really upset, I am in a foul mood, I am not happy with how the way we played.”
Ynot led the scoring for the Blazers with 23 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, while Allen Liwag added 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Benilde spoiled Raymart Escobido’s career-high of 29 points, and Are’s 20-point output.
The Blazers now hold a 6-1 win-loss record, while the Golden Stags suffered their sixth consecutive loss (2-6).
The top team Benilde will face Arellano (2-5) on Friday, Oct. 4, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
