Mclaude Guadaña made sure it wouldn’t be two heartbreaks in a row for Lyceum of the Philippines University, steering the team to a 79-73 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College in the NCAA Season 98 on Wednesday.
Guadaña scored 19 points to lead LPU while Enoch Valdez and Vince Cunanan both added 10 apiece to help the cause.
Shawn Umali, meanwhile, scored all of seven of his points in the fourth quarter as the Pirates sealed the win.
Lyceum, which was coming off a loss to Mapua University, improved to 8-3 while EAC slipped to 1-10.
Nat Cosejo led EAC with 26 points while JP Maguliano had a big double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds in the loss.
Guadaña rode on the momentum of what he started at the half, opening the third quarter with a personal 9-3 run as Lyceum extended their lead to 19, 59-40.
EAC, though, was able to pull to within 12 heading to the fourth, 65-53.
The Generals continued to knock on Lyceum's door with Cosejo bringing them to within 10 with his patented floater, 77-67.
Three consecutive misses from the three-point area put EAC in a tougher position, but back-to-back baskets from Art Cosa and Maguliano sent them to 77-71 deficit with 29.5 ticks left.
Big men Umali and Omar Larupay knocked down free throws to seal the bounce back win.
Cosejo's 17-point first half outing wasn't enough as EAC trailed Lyceum by 12, 50-38, with Guadaña and seldom-used King Vinoya powering the Pirates with 10 and seven apiece.
The scores:
LPU 79 - Guadaña 19, Valdez 10, Cunanan 10, Umali 7, Vinoya 7, Villegas 6, Bravo 6, Larupay 5, Navarro 4, Peñafiel 3, Montaño 2.
EAC 73 - Cosejo 26, Balowa 12, Maguliano 12, Cosa 7, Bajon 5, Luciano 4, Liwag 4, Tolentino 3, Ad. Doria 0, Dominguez 0, Angeles 0, Quinal 0.
Quarters: 29-20, 50-38, 65-53, 79-73.
—JMB, GMA News
