The Arellano Chiefs secured the coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the NCAA Season 101 Men’s Basketball Tournament after grinding out a hard-fought 62–58 victory over the Mapúa Cardinals on Friday, November 21, at the Playtime Centre in San Juan City.
The win capped a remarkable resurgence for the Chiefs, who entered the matchup riding a four-game winning streak following a three-loss slump. With the triumph, Arellano locked in the second seed of Group A.
Having lost by three points to Mapúa in the first round of eliminations, Arellano needed not only to win, but to do so by at least four points to officially secure the second spot.
In the final minutes, they did exactly that.
Down 53–58 with just over two minutes remaining, the Chiefs tightened the screws defensively and held the Cardinals scoreless for the remainder of the game. T-Mc Ongotan sparked the comeback with a physically challenging, off-balance finish to trim the deficit to 55–58, followed by two clutch free throws that cut the lead to one, 57–58.
With Mapúa reeling, Renzo Abiera drained a cold-blooded go-ahead three-pointer from the left wing, flipping the lead in Arellano’s favor, 60–58. Ongotan then sealed the victory at the line, sinking two more free throws to complete the 62–58 turnaround and deliver the winning margin the Chiefs needed.
In a post-game interview, Head Coach Chico Manabat acknowledged the collective effort behind the victory, noting the commitment shown throughout the buildup to the matchup. “Ibibigay ko sa mga coaches and players ko ‘yan, ‘yun talaga tinrabaho namin… Siguro, right place, right timing, then lahat nag-materialize naman,” he said.
Manabat also singled out Renzo Abiera, commending his composure in delivering the clutch three-pointer despite struggling in their previous outing. “Thankful ako kay Enzo, without the three points na ‘yun, hindi possible ‘to… Sabi ko lang sa kanya, take your shot and be yourself at bumawi ka sa Mapua,” he added.
Looking beyond the milestone, Manabat stressed that the twice-to-beat advantage will not be treated as a safety net, but rather as motivation to keep working. “Masarap talaga [magka-twice-to-beat advantage], pero hindi pa tapos itong laban… Tine-take namin na lalo kami magtrabaho… one game at a time, mananalo at mananalo kami. At gagawin namin ‘yan,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Ongotan led the Legarda-based squad with 15 markers, six boards, three assists, and four steals, including the final four points that iced the game. Abiera finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, highlighted by the go-ahead triple in crunch time, while Geronimo added 10 points in the balanced effort.
They now booked a quarterfinal showdown against Group B’s third-seeded Letran Knights on Wednesday, November 26, at 11 a.m., as they continue their bid to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2016, the same year the Chiefs reached the Finals before falling to San Beda.
Earlier in the day, the Arellano Braves suffered a narrow 83–85 loss to the Mapúa Red Robins in the NCAA Season 101 Juniors Basketball Tournament, missing out on a chance to finish as the top seed in Group A.
Intramuros-based squad held an 84–80 lead with 1:09 left in regulation before Shawn Vergara buried a crucial three-pointer to pull Arellano within one. However, a split at the line by MJ Bernabe following an Aaron Manansala foul proved to be the final blow, sealing the Red Robins’ win.
The game took a frightening turn at the 1:32 mark of the fourth quarter when Ray Ladica suffered a bad fall and was stretchered off the floor. Before the injury, Ladica turned in a standout performance with 23 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal. Sean Franco also delivered 20 points in the losing effort.
Despite the setback, the Braves advance to the quarterfinals with a twice-to-beat advantage and will face the LSGH Greenies on Wednesday, November 26, at 8:30 a.m. at the FilOil Eco Oil Centre in San Juan.
- Carlo T. Arsula