Games tomorrow:
(Filoil EcoOil Centre)
12 noon – EAC vs Letran
3 p.m. – San Beda vs Perpetual

MANILA — Lyceum of the Philippines University scraped past Arellano University, 82-80, Tuesday at the FilOil EcoOil Center to fortify its hold of the second spot in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament standings.

The AU Chiefs trailed, 78-81, and were poised into sending the game into overtime had not Shane Menina’s Hail Mary triple try lipped out of the rim with 11 seconds to go.

Renzo Navarro then sealed the Pirates’ win by splitting his charities off a Menina foul for an 82-78 advantage, with 4.4 seconds remaining.

LPU, runners-up in 2017 and 2018, finished its first-round stint with a 7-2 record, trailing league-leading College of Saint Benilde (7-1) by half a game.

“For us, it’s a good thing na nagkaroon kami ng ganitong mga laro na dikitan, kasi lalo na ngayong magse-second round. And we will gonna expect na lahat ng teams talaga, gustong umakyat eh. Mas mae-experience pa namin mas maraming ganito,” said Pirates mentor Gilbert Malabanan.

“Good thing talaga nae-experience kami ganito mga dikitan, para yung composure ng mga players namin, nandoon pa rin,” he added.

LPU followed up last Sunday’s 82-79 overtime win over San Sebastian.

Gyle Montaño led the Pirates with 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks, John Barba chipped in 15 points and four boards, while Mac Guadaña added 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists.

Arellano will enter the second round with a 4-5 record – one-and-a-half game behind joint-fourth placers San Beda and Letran.

Axel Doromal had 21 points, while Menina contributed 14 points and three assists for the Chiefs.

The scores:
LPU 82 — Montaño 16, Barba 15, Guadaña 14, Valdez 9, Umali 7, Bravo 7, Larupay 6, Peñafiel 4, Cunanan 3, Navarro 1, Villegas 0.
Arellano 80 — Doromal 21, Menina 14, Abastillas 12, Flores 11, Oftana 8, Mantua 8, Tolentino 4, Mallari 2, Oliva 0, Antonio 0.
Quarterscores: 22-19, 44-42, 70-58, 82-80