ARELLANO University pulled off a thrilling 62-58 victory over defending champion Mapua University on Friday at the San Juan Arena, earning a twice-to-beat advantage heading into the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball quarterfinals.

Jeadan T-MC Ongotan starred for the Chiefs, recording 15 points, six rebounds, four steals, three assists, and a block, helping Arellano close the eliminations with a 7-6 record in Group A.

“I’ll give credit to the coaches and players. We really put in the work because as soon as I arrived, they told me, ‘Coach, we want to win,’” said Arellano coach Chico Manabat.

“Maybe the kids thrived under the pressure. It was intense, but they handled it well. These players have the maturity to stay composed.”

Mapua also finished the eliminations with a 7-6 record, but their head-to-head losses to Arellano left the defending champions without the upper hand. Their first encounter this season ended in a narrow 90-87 win for Mapua.

Arellano is now poised to face the third seed from Group B, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, which holds a 7-5 record.

Renzo Abiera added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Ernest John Geronimo contributed 10 points for the Chiefs, who trailed 25-33 at halftime but tied the game at 45-all after the third quarter.

For Mapua, Drex Delos Reyes posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Cyril Rey Gonzales and John Christopher Recto scored nine points each.

The Scores:

Arellano (62) – Ongotan 15, Abiera 12, Geronimo 10, Valencia 8, Hernal 4, Libang 4, Demetria 4, Buenaventura 3, Vinoya 2, Acop 0, Cabotaje 0, Camay 0, Langit 0.

Mapua (58) – Delos Reyes 13, Cuenco 9, Gonzales 9,  Recto 9, Sapasap 6, Concepcion 5,  Escamis 4, Nitura 3, Igliane 2, Callangan 0, Lazarte 0, Ryan 0.

Quarterscores: 14-20, 25-33, 45-45, 62-58.