Arellano Chiefs put away Mapua Cardinals

The Arellano University Chiefs banked on their fastbreaks in the final period to run away with a 91-82 win over the Mapua Cardinals last night at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Kent Salado struck with 24 points for the Chiefs, who went on to join the defending champion San Beda Red Lions in the early lead of the 92nd National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament.

They held the Cardinals almost scoreless midway in the last canto as they finally overtook their Intramuros-based opponents.

Salado made only four in the closing period after two other teammates, Zach Nicholls, Levi de la Cruz and Allen Enriquez stepped up.

“Nag-fastbreak kami kaya nakalamang kami,” said Salado, one of the veterans of the team.

Michael Canete provided 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Chiefs.

The Cardinals, with Laurenz Victoria showing the way with 13 points, kept matters tight after Victoria struck in the last eight minutes, 73-all.

The Chiefs then leaned on an 11-0 run in the last five minutes to finally take charge. Nicholl’s charity and a put-back by Enriquez with 3:46 left allowed Arellano to take an 83-71 edge. “Napakatamis na panalo. So sweet. The boys overcame their first-day jitters with this,” said Chiefs coach Jerry Codinera.

The Cardinals played without one of their mainstays, Leo Gabo, who served the last of a four-game suspension for his involvement in the bench-clearing brawl involving Mapua and Emilio Aguinaldo College.

In that game, Gabo rushed over to push Tayongtong in retaliation for a contact. He was meted the highest suspension for Mapua with four games.