Taha fans Blazers win over Cards

Games tomorrow (The Arena, San Juan)

4 p.m. – Jose Rizal vs San Beda

6 p.m. – Arellano U vs San Sebastian

MANILA, Philippines - Paolo Taha went on a scoring binge in the fourth quarter as St. Benilde turned back a feisty Mapua side, 74-62, to close in on the frontrunners in the 89th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Taha poured in nine of his game-high 25 points in the final period as the Blazers finished strong to move up to 5-6 (win-loss), just a shade behind joint fourth placers Jose Rizal (5-5) and San Sebastian (5-5).

“We are lucky we have a player like him. He’s relentless on both offense and defense,” said St. Benilde coach Gabby Velasco of Taha, a 22-year-old Marikina City native.

Drawing firepower from Kenneth Ighalo, the Cardinals stuck close with the Blazers through the first three quarters, trailing by just three, 47-50, going into the payoff period.

But Taha stepped up in the fourth, with Mark Romero and Jonathan Grey providing the needed support, as the Blazers went on to scuttle the Cardinals’ bid.

Romero and Grey combined for 11 fourth-quarter points to finish with 13 and 14 points, respectively.

The win came after St. Benilde’s 89-90 loss in overtime to Perpetual Help last Aug. 26. It was St. Benilde’s fourth one-point setback in the tourney.

“It was another heartbreaker that we hope, we as a team, can learn from. We believe in our hearts that it’s not yet too late for us,” said Velasco.

Mapua, mentored by Atoy Co, fell to a season worst ninth straight defeat and 10th overall against a lone win.

Ighalo led the Cardinals with 20 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.

In the nightcap, Emilio Aguinaldo unloaded a key run in the stretch and watched Perpetual Help implode as it eked out a 70-68 upset victory to improve to 5-6 and keep their Final Four hopes alive.