NCAA 87: CSB Blazers crush EAC Generals, 80-68

College of Saint Benilde coach Richard Del Rosario is satisfied in their current position as the Blazers try to build on the momentum of their 80-68 crushing of Emilio Aguinaldo College in the 87th NCAA men's basketball tournament Wednesday at The Arena in San Juan City.

CSB now joins Lyceum of the Philippines University at fourth with both teams holding similar 4-5 slates. The Generals dropped to 3-6. "We're happy to finish tied for fourth after the first round. I told my players that beating EAC is a big thing for us since we will tie Lyceum at fourth. I'm happy that the boys played well," said Del Rosario. Saint Benilde started out strong and were never really threatened in the match. CSB's Jan Tan and Elyzer Paguia of EAC almost came into blows early in the second quarter after the former elbowed the latter under the chin. Paguia retaliated by elbowing Tan in the chest with still eight minutes and 47 seconds to go in the second period. Both players were each given flagrant foul penalty 2 and sent out of the playing court for their actions. Jonathan Grey paced the Blazers with 17 points and 12 rebounds while teammates Mark Romero, Carlo Lastimosa and skipper Timothy McCoy chipped in 12, 10 and 10 markers each. Veteran Claude Cubo paced EAC's losing cause with an all around performance of 22 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and four blocks. In the juniors division, playmaker Nelson Mendoza tallied a game-high 21 points to help the EAC Brigadiers to a 78-73 decision over La Salle Greenhills Junior Blazers. The win was the sixth in nine games for EAC to tie its victims at third spot behind the 8-0 record of defending champion San Beda Red Cubs and 6-2 slate of the Letran Squires. The Arellano Baby Chiefs downed the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altalettes, 81-67, in the second game. The Baby Chiefs ended their first round campaign with a 4-5 win-loss slate while the Altalettes dropped their eighth loss in nine matches. - JVP, GMA News