Emilio Aguinaldo College kicked off its campaign on a high note with a 75-67 win over University of Perpetual Help System Dalta in Season 98 National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan Wednesday.
JP Maguliano flirted with a double-double, hitting 24 points behind a 9-of-13 shooting from the field and hauling nine rebounds as the Generals gave head coach Jerson Cabiltes his first win in the oldest collegiate league in the country.
EAC broke a 57-all deadlock in the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run, capped by Kyle Ochavo’s three-point play with 6:08 left in the game, and never looked back to grab the win.
Two more Generals wound up with double digits with Ralph Robin scoring 12 points and Nat Cosejo tallying 10 points behind a 4-of-8 shooting clip.
For Cabiltes, a champion coach in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, he admitted there’s still a lot more work to be done but they are just thankful to get an early win this season.
“It’s good to have a head start with the team. As I have said, we still have a long way to go and we’re thankful we got the first win,” Cabiltes said.
“JP is a veteran and gave his heart out since this is his final year,” he added.
EAC joins San Beda University, Lyceum of the Philippines University and Mapua University and host Jose Rizal University in the upper half of the standings with identical 1-0 win-loss records.
The Generals sank nine triples in the game compared to the Altas, who failed to sink all their 28 attempts from rainbow country.
Carlos Ferreras’ double-double effort of 16 points and 12 rebounds went for naught as Perpetual sank to a 0-1 slate along with defending champion Letran College, College of Saint Benilde, San Sebastian College and Arellano University.
