Stags snatch victory from Pirates grasp behind Are’s big game

Tristan Tamayo

San Sebastian is making people take notice. The Stags backcourt has caught a lot of attention, too.

Rafael Are nearly had a triple-double and the Stags rallied from 10 points down in the stretch to slip past Lyceum, 95-93, in Wednesday’s NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball thriller at San Juan Arena.

The Stags scored the last 12 points of the game to preserve the heroics of Are, who finished with 23 points, a career-best 13 assists and eight rebounds to help San Sebastian to a 2-0 (win-loss) record.

Are is coming off a stellar performance against Letran, where he had 30 points, six rebounds and six assists to lead San Sebastian to a 91-84 triumph.

Lyceum dropped to 0-2

Raymart Escobido also exploded for 23 points as the backcourt duo provided the bulk of the scoring for the Stags. Tristan Felebrico also registered a double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds.

Mapua, meanwhile, turned back Emilio Aguinaldo College, 69-66, behind rookie Lawrence Mangubat in the other game.

“I have to thank my coaches and all my teammates for giving me such confidence. I just did my role,” Mangubat said. “I really put in extra work with my shot and it just showed … today.”

Mangubat finished with 15 points, all of them coming from behind the three-point line, where he went 5-of-11 (45.5).

JC Recto and Clint Escamis helped the cause with 12 and 10 points, respectively, as Mapua bounced back from an opening loss to level its record to 1-1 in a tie with EAC.