Corteza-Oczon tandem takes charge as league-leading Benilde weathers Mapua challenge

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde banked on the one-two punch of Miggy Corteza and Migs Oczon as they turned back a hungry Mapua University, 73-64, in the NCAA Season 98 on Wednesday.

Corteza led the way with 17 points in under 19 minutes of action while Oczon posted 14 points, including four triples, and eight rebounds for league-leading Benilde, which improved to 6-1 to take the solo top spot.

Mapua dropped to a 0-8 win-loss card.

 

 

The Blazers turned a tied 29-all halftime score to a 53-42 cushion to end the third before the Cardinals retaliated and pulled to within two, 53-51.

Mapua, though, saw one of its top scorers in Arvin Gamboa exit the game due to an apparent injury as Benile again established an 11-point lead, 62-51, after a triple from Oczon.

A basket from Corteza at the 2:26 mark of the fourth virtually sealed the win for the red-hot Benilde.

It was a story of two big men in the first half with Ladis Lepalam and Warren Bonifacio powering Benilde and Mapua, respectively, as both teams figured in a close affair.

The first half ended with Benilde and Mapua tied at 29-all before Benilde unleashed a strong third quarter.

Up by just one late in the third, the Blazers suddenly raced to a 53-42 cushion after a 12-2 rampage capped by a triple from Oczon.

Rence Nocum led Mapua with 15 points alongside seven rebounds and three assists while Warren Bonifacio had a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards.

Benilde's Will Gozum had a relatively quiet game with just eight points and five rebounds, compared with his Season 98 averages of 16.67 points per game 10.5 rebounds.

The scores:

Benilde 73 - Corteza 17, Oczon 14, Lepalam 10, Sangco 8, Gozum 8, Nayve 6, Carlos 4, Pasturan 3, Cullar 3, Marcos 0, Flores 0.

Mapua 64 - Nocum 15, Bonifacio 14, Gamboa 11, Salenga 7, Lacap 6, Pido 5, Garcia 4, Hernandez 2, Soriano 0, Agustin 0, Parinas 0.

Quarters: 18-11, 29-29, 53-42, 73-64.

—JMB, GMA News

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