Blazers nail 5th win in row over Tigers

MANILA, Philippines — St. Benilde rolled to its fifth straight victory, foiling an undermanned UST side in a highly physical duel, 99-87, in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan yesterday.

Clement Leutcheu turned in a double-double game of 22 points and 15 rebounds, Edward Dixon put in 16 markers and JJ Domingo and Unique Naboa combined for 25 points as the Blazers warded off the Tigers’ early threat in the fourth to extend their win run in Group B.

The match, which took two hours to finish, was marred by 61 fouls, two ejections and a couple of near-fights as tempers flared and elbows flew in the second half.

The Blazers’ RR Pagulayan and UST’s Ira Bataller were thrown out after being assessed with two technical fouls. The Tigers, now without Reggie Basibas and Jordan Sta. Ana, also lost Nat Consejo, Enrique Caunan and Toby Agustin to fouls.

Injured guard Renzo Subido also failed to suit up for the Tigers, who showed up without Steve Akomo and Embons Bonleon.

The Blazers scored seven points and held the Tigers scoreless in a two-minute stretch to break away from a close 38-36 game early in the third. But the España-based squad kept coming back, pulling to within five, 59-64, on free throws by Marvin Lee with 9:10 left in the contest.

Far Eastern U later halted Adamson’s two-game run ºas it fashioned out a 75-64 to bounce back from its loss to St. Benilde last week.