THE COLLEGE of St. Benilde asserted its dominance in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament, defeating Arellano University, 100-77, at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan City on Wednesday. This victory solidifies the Blazers’ position at the top of the league standings.

Gab Cometa delivered a standout performance, scoring a career-high 23 points, including three three-pointers, to lead St. Benilde to its ninth win in 11 games. Justine Sanchez supported the effort with a double-double, contributing 14 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Allen Liwag also made a significant impact, finishing with 12 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The Blazers built their largest lead of the game at 88-54.

Other notable contributions came from Jhomel Ancheta, who added eight points, five assists, three rebounds, and a steal, while Ian Torres also chipped in eight points along with three rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block.

“We focused on protecting the ball and playing solid defense. Gab Cometa and Justine Sanchez were exceptional tonight. Overall, it was a great team performance,” CSB coach Charles Tiu commented after the game.

For Arellano, Troy Valencia led the scoring with 25 points, including three triples, along with eight rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. Jeadan Ongotan contributed 15 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks, while Ernest Geronimo added 10 points and three rebounds. With this loss, the Chiefs now hold a record of three wins and eight losses.

Mapua currently occupies second place in the standings at 8-3, followed closely by San Beda University at 7-4. Letran and Lyceum of the Philippines are tied for fourth at 6-5, while Emilio Aguinaldo College and the University of Perpetual Help share fifth place at 5-6.