Mapua University finally ended its eight-game slump, defeating struggling Emilio Aguinaldo College, 67-55, to barge into the win column of NCAA Season 98 on Saturday.
Mapua closed its first round campaign with an improved 1-8 card while EAC slipped to a 0-7 hole.
Warren Bonifacio led the Cardinals with 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field alongside 10 rebounds.
Paolo Hernandez added 12 points and seven rebounds while Rence Nocum added 11 markers and eight boards. Both Hernandez and Nocum also dished out three assists each.
EAC's Ralph Robin ended the first quarter with a buzzer-beater triple before the Cardinals unleashed a strong 15-6 closing run to take a 35-27 halftime lead with Bonifacio leading Mapua with 12 first half points.
It was all Robin and Allen Liwag for EAC in the first half as the duo combined for 19 points to carry the Generals.
Rookie Joshua Tolentino then brought EAC to a 41-38 deficit, but Mapua snipers Joaqui Garcia and Jasper Salenga proved effective as they sent the Cardinals to a 51-42 cushion at the end of the third.
Mapua, last season’s finalist, hung on to that lead and showed endgame composure to finally pick up its first victory in nine games.
Back-to-back triples from Garcia and Hernandez made it a 63-49 lead for Mapua as Jeric Pido sealed the win with two freebies.
Liwag led EAC with 22 points.
The scores:
Mapua 67 - Bonifacio 16, Hernandez 12, Nocum 11, Garcia 10, Pido 6, Cuenco 5, Salenga 4, Soriano 2, Parinas 1, Mercado 0, Lacap 0, Igliane 0.
EAC 55 - Liwag 22, Maguliano 11, Robin 10, Tolentino 5, Bajon 3, Luciano 1, Gurtiza 1, An. Doria 1, Cosa 1, Balowa 0, Umpad 0.
Quarters: 15-16, 35-27, 51-42, 67-55.
—JMB, GMA News
