The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers notched their first win in NCAA Season 97 at the expense of the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates, 79-68 on Tuesday at the St. Benilde Gym in La Salle Green Hills.
With the Blazers only up by four points at the end of the third quarter, 54-50, the Taft-based squad widened their lead to 74-65 with less than two minutes in the game.
JC Cullar's freebies pushed CSB to their biggest lead, 76-65, with Robi Nayve making a clutch triple to seal their first win.
At the half, CSB had the slim advantage, 37-36.
Nayve tallied 17 markers in the Saint Benilde win, while Will Gozum flirted with a triple-double of 15 points and eight rebounds.
Cullar and AJ Benson added 11 points each.
Lyceum's Enoch Valdez listed 13 points, Shawn Umali added 11, while Yancy Remulla made 10 in the losing effort.
The Blazers (1-1) will go against the Arellano University Chiefs on Saturday, while the Pirates (0-2) will go against the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals.
The scores:
CSB 79 — Nayve 17, Gozum 15, Cullar 11, Benson 11, Marcos 9, Corteza 4, Lim 2, Davis 2. Lepalam 2, Sangco 2, Flores 1, Carlos 0, Mosqueda 0.
LPU 68 — Valdez 13, Umali 11, Remulla 10, Guadaña 7, Barba 7, Larupay 6, Guinto 6, Cunanan 4, Navarro 2, Abadeza 2, Garro 0, Jabel 0, Bravo 0.
Quarters: 20-20, 37-36, 54-50, 79-68
—JMB, GMA News
