The undersized Arellano Chiefs proved that heart and hustle can make up for a lack of height. Banking on speed and teamwork, the Chiefs overwhelmed the Lyceum Pirates, 92–65, on Tuesday at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.
“Yes, iyon ‘yun. Gusto namin na makilala sa pagiging pusong palaban,” said Chiefs head coach Chico Manabat, proud of his team’s identity as a relentless, run-and-gun squad.
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Renzo Abiera led the charge with a game-high 16 points, while Tmac Ongotan delivered an all-around performance, registering a triple-double of 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. The victory gave Arellano its second win in four outings in Group A and a strong bounce-back from an earlier loss to the University of Perpetual Help Dalta Altas.
“Without bigs in our team, this is what will carry us — our energy and our fight,” added Manabat.
After a tight first half, the Chiefs clamped down defensively in the third quarter, limiting the Pirates to just 10 points. Abiera and Yuan Camay then teamed up to fuel a 15-point explosion that widened the gap to 66–50 entering the final frame.
The Pirates, who dropped to 0–4, got 18 points and eight rebounds from John Barba, but their struggles continued on both ends of the floor.
In the juniors division, the Arellano Braves leaned on Rey Ladica and Sean Franco to fend off a late Lyceum comeback and escape with a 77–71 win.
Ladica and Franco tallied 15 points apiece to power the Braves to their third straight victory, keeping them atop Group A with a 3–1 record. Axel Mendoza added 12 points in the win.
After leading by double digits for most of the match, Arellano nearly squandered its advantage in the fourth quarter before Ladica’s steady play helped them stay afloat. His layup with 6:51 left gave the Braves a comfortable 77–59 cushion — just enough to withstand the Junior Pirates’ final push.
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