Ex-UST wing braces Cardinals flight vs Stags
Defending champion Mapua flexed its title credentials in NCAA Season 101 on Sunday with a wire-to-wire 70-49 rout of San Sebastian at San Juan Arena.
Former UST swingman Ivan Lazarte sparked the Cardinals with 14 points, three rebounds and a steal, helping lift his squad to a 3-1 record and a share of the Group B lead.
“I just had to earn the trust of coach Randy Alcantara and the coaching staff,” said Lazarte, who has been finding his groove in his first NCAA season.
Earl Sapasap provided steady support, adding 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists in a balanced offensive display by Mapua. The Cardinals controlled the tempo early, holding the Golden Stags to just 21 first-half points and never allowing a serious comeback.
Ian Cuajao was the lone bright spot for San Sebastian with 14 points, four assists and three rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Stags from sliding to 1-3.
Earlier in the day, College of St. Benilde weathered a gritty challenge from Jose Rizal University to come away with a 73-65 win and also improve to 3-1.
Raffy Celis dropped 20 points to pace the Blazers, while Justine Sanchez delivered a complete line of 17 points, six rebounds and five assists.
“We just had to weather the storm. That’s something we talked about,” said coach Charles Tiu. “Credit to JRU—they’re young but legit. They really play hard.”
JRU’s Sean Salvador and Jun Peñaverde scored 13 and 11 points, respectively, but the Heavy Bombers failed to sustain their momentum and fell to an even 2-2.
Mapua and Benilde now sit among the early leaders in Group B, with momentum building as the tournament heats up.
