BY ABBY TORALBA
WITH reigning MVP Will Gozum showing the way, College of St. Benilde held off Jose Rizal University 84-81 yesterday for its fifth straight win and gained solo third in the 99th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.
Gozum tallied 27 points, five boards and two blocks while Miggy Corteza added 18 markers.
Migs Oczon also had 14 points for CSB, which scored a big follow up to its 74-56 whipping of Arellano University last Friday and rose to 9-4.
The Heavy Bombers failed to atone for a 61-72 loss to Perpetual Help four days ago and dropped to 8-6 for fifth.
“I’m happy we were able to get away with a win today. We played well again for a long stretch and then we let up at the end of the third quarter. We got them back into the ball after controlling the first half,” Blazers coach Charles Tiu said. “Then sa start ng fourth quarter we played great and then we let up again. We were able to escape with a win. I’m happy we won because it was tough. JRU’s a really good team,” he added.
CSB also trounced JRU 93-85 in overtime when they first met last Sept. 29.
In the first game, the Altas showed the door on the Chiefs with an 81-74 victory for their sixth win and kept alive their Final Four hopes.
Christian Pagaran scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed five rebounds for Perpetual, while Cyrus Nitura delivered a double-double of 13 markers and 10 boards.
“Buhay pa, humihinga pa. Good win for us. Magandang motivation going up against San Beda on Friday,” Altas strategist Myk Saguiguit, whose team improved to 6-7, said.
“We’ll just enjoy the moment. Paglabas namin ng The Arena, focus na ulit on our next game.”
Arellano fell to 2-11.
Joshua Guiab paced the Bombers, who played the rest of the match without tactician Louie Gonzalez after he was ejected in the second quarter, with a double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds, while JL Delos Santos had 14 markers.
Agem Miranda and Marwin Dionisio combined for 23 points for JRU.
Jeadan Ongotan and Lorenz Capulong carried the fight for the Chiefs with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Troy Valencia also got 13 for Arellano.