Stags raid Pirates lair, nail 4th in row

MANILA, Philippines – San Sebastian College kept its hot streak going, smothering Lyceum of the Phl U, 77-69, but Emilio Aguinaldo College stopped Jose Rizal University’s surge, 63-60, in a protest-marred game yesterday in the 92nd NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

RK Ilagan turned in a career-high 25-point performance he spiked with seven triples, also a career-best, as the Stags rolled to their fourth straight win and fifth overall against nine losses to keep their slim semifinal hopes alive.

“He’s very hardworking and a fighter considering he’s just a rookie,” said SSC coach Egay Macaraya of his prized ward from Tondo.

The victory came on the heels of the Stags’ surprise wins over three of the league’s top four teams, including No. 3 Perpetual Help (9-3), No. 1 San Beda (11-2) and No. 4 Mapua (7-5) after starting the season with a win and nine straight losses.

Macaraya said it was all about getting the winning attitude.

“I guess everybody wanted to win and everybody stepped up for us and played defense,” said Macaraya, who thanked team manager Joseph Dyhengco for his all-out support despite the Stags’ poor start.

The Stags have also become methodical, committing just eight turnovers yesterday.

The Pirates fell to 5-8.

Later in the day, Sydney Onwubere fired 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter while Cameroonian beanpole Hamadou Laminou came through with a double-double of 19 points and 10 boards with four blocks as the Generals nailed their fourth win against nine setbacks to likewise stay in the Final Four hunt.

In the third game, defending champion Letran routed St. Benilde, 57-40, to end a five-game losing skid and improve to 6-7.

The Knights also held the winless Blazers to a new league low output since losing to the Altas, 45-70, last week.

It was St. Benilde’s 13th straight defeat.