The Arellano Chiefs leaned on their veteran duo of T‑Mc Ongotan and Basti Valencia in the closing minutes to escape the EAC Generals, 91‑87, in the NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament on Tuesday evening at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Arellano and EAC engaged in a closely contested opening half, with the Chiefs holding a slim 25‑24 advantage after the first quarter.
Arellano maintained its narrow lead into halftime, 47‑44, before EAC flipped the script in the third period. The Generals outscored the Chiefs in the frame and entered the final quarter with a 70‑68 advantage.
The game remained tight throughout the payoff period, with EAC eventually building an 84‑81 lead.
T‑Mc Ongotan Sparks Arellano
With the Chiefs needing a response, Ongotan delivered from beyond the arc, burying a left‑corner three‑pointer to tie the game at 84‑all with just over three minutes remaining.
The Generals regained the lead at 87‑85 after baskets from Joseph Nunag and Wilmar Oftana, but Arellano once again answered.
Valencia then knocked down a crucial three‑pointer off an Anthony Borromeo pass, putting the Chiefs ahead, 88‑87, with 46 seconds left.
Ongotan, Valencia Deliver in the Clutch
EAC had an opportunity to regain control, but Jude Bagay could not convert his attempt. Ongotan then put Arellano in a more comfortable position, driving through the defense for a short jumper that gave the Chiefs a 90‑87 cushion with 12.8 seconds remaining.
The Generals had one final chance to force a tie, but their late three‑point attempt missed, allowing Arellano to close out its second straight victory.
Ongotan finished with 26 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block, while Valencia contributed 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. King Vinoya also provided 15 points and 4 rebounds.
EAC received 16 points and 8 rebounds from Bagay, while Kyle Ochavo added 15. MJ Raymundo and Jacob Shanoda each scored 14, with Nunag finishing with 12 points and 9 rebounds.
Arellano’s “Batman and Robin” Save the Day
The win helped the Chiefs improve to 2‑0 in Group B, joining the Letran Knights at the top of the standings, while the Generals remained winless after two games.
After the game, Arellano head coach Chico Manabat highlighted the trust between his veteran scorers by describing them as “Batman and Robin.”
“Batman and Robin sila. And sa endgame, ‘yun ang pinractice nila,” he said. “Ang sabi ko sa kanila, pag pinasa ni T‑Mc kay Basti Valencia, kailangan mag‑deliver siya. Full of trust naman na pina-practice nila talaga ‘yan,” Coach Manabat added.
Ongotan, who revealed he is now playing his final season with Arellano, also shared what motivates him to make the most of his last campaign as a college student.
“Lagi kong sinasabi na last year ko na ‘to, gusto ko talaga na bago matapos ‘tong career ko sa Arellano, may maiitatabi ako sa AU community,” Ongotan said.
