By Ricky Manliguis
SAN JUAN, MM—Emilio Aguinaldo College was a quarter away from pulling off an upset over San Beda.
The Lions, however, were not to be denied.
Bucking the absence of prized big man Donald Tankoua, the Lions banked on the outside sniping of AC Soberano and a brilliant relief job of
Ben Adamos to frustrate the Generals, 90-82, and stay atop the NCAA Season 92 standings at the FilOIl Flying V Centre Friday.
Newly-crowned three-point king Soberano killed EAC’s upset ambitions with two cold-blooded three points to give the Mendiola dribblers an 88-82 lead and never looked back since. He finished the game with eight points.
The Generals entered the fourth and final quarter ahead, 67-66 behind solid a 30-point third period.
But the Lions crawled its way back, with Adamos swishing in a jumper to give them an 80-77 advantage.
Sidney Onwubere’s follow-up shot trimmed the SBC lead to 80-79, before Soberano took matters in his own scorching hands, with his last trifecta giving them enough breathing room.
Davon Potts led four other Lions in double-figures with 21 points, with Radge Tongco adding 12 and Javee Mocon 10.
Adamos, brought in by Coach Jamike Jarin after the Nigerian Tankoua hurt his right knee in the early moments of the match, fired 11 points, seven in the final frame, in 13 minutes of playing time.
The win was the Lions’ 10th in 11 matches, keeping them atop the standings ahead of closest pursuant Arellano University (7-2) and Perpetual Help (7-3).
Onwubere had a monster game with 19 points and 18 rebounds, while import Hamadou Laminou likewise tallied a double-double of 18 and 19 caroms.
But their efforts went for naught as the Generals fell to 3-8.
Box Scores:
San Beda 90-Potts 21, Tongco 12, Adamos 11, Mocon 10, Bolick 8, Soberano 8, Noah 8, Tankoua 5, Presbitero 3, Optana 2, Alas 2, Sara 0, Bonsubre 0, Carlos 0, Navarro 0
EAC 82-Onwubere 19, Laminou 18, Munsayac 15, King 14, Morada 13, Diego 2, Pascua 1, Neri 0, Corilla 0, Guzman 0, Mendoza 0
Quarterscores: 27-18, 48-37, 66-67, 90-82
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