Brigadiers escape Junior Altas

EMILIO Aguinaldo College- Immaculate Conception Academy (EAC-ICA) entered the win column with an 83-78 upset over University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in Season 94 National Collegiate Athletic Association juniors basketball tournament on Thursday at the EAC Gym in Taft, Manila.

The Brigadiers capitalized on a strong finish to bag their maiden win after a two- game losing skid at the start of the season.

EAC-ICA joined Jose Rizal High School at No. 8. Cjay Boado exploded with a game- high 23 points to go with five rebounds, four steals and two assists while Ely Ilustrisimo tallied 14 markers, six boards and two dimes in the win.

Bhen Lozano and Jolo Sumagaysay provided ample

on top of a combined 13 rebounds.

Behind Boado, Sumagaysay and Kian Sanosa

Led by Emman Galman, Perpetual Help relied on balanced scoring to force a 41-41 deadlock at the half.

It was a neck-and-neck battle until the Brigadiers dominate the endgame. Boado sank a triple for a 72-68 EAC-ICA lead but Perpetual Help dropped

resulting in a 79-74 Brigadiers advantage. Mark Gallano hit back-to-back baskets to push

Adrian Balowa and Sanosa, however, sank their free throws to seal the Brigadiers’ breakthrough win.

Gallano pumped in a huge double- double had 14 markers and six boards but their efforts were not enough to save the Junior Altas from suffering their first defeat.

Erstwhile leading Perpetual Help slid to a share of No. 2 with La Salle Greenhills on identical 2-1 slates. Boado 23, Ilustrisimo 14, Lozano 11, Sumagaysay 10, Sanosa 8, Balowa 8, Murillo 4, Pascual 3, Mejia 2, Encila 0, Quebral 0, Calara 0, Rivera 0. Gallano 20, Galman 14, Coloma 8, Duka 8, Orgo 6, Galoy 6, Nunez 4, Defante 4, Barcuma 3, Kawamura 3, Romilla 2, Agbayani 0. 25-17; 41-41; 59-61; 83-78