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<\/p>\nThe 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\u201365, on Tuesday at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, iyon \u2018yun. Gusto namin na makilala sa pagiging pusong palaban,\u201d said Chiefs head coach\u00a0Chico Manabat, proud of his team\u2019s identity as a relentless, run-and-gun squad.<\/p>\n
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Renzo Abiera\u00a0led the charge with a game-high 16 points, while\u00a0Tmac Ongotan\u00a0delivered 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.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWithout bigs in our team, this is what will carry us \u2014 our energy and our fight,\u201d added Manabat.<\/p>\n
After a tight first half, the Chiefs clamped down defensively in the third quarter, limiting the Pirates to just 10 points. Abiera and\u00a0Yuan Camay\u00a0then teamed up to fuel a 15-point explosion that widened the gap to 66\u201350 entering the final frame.<\/p>\n
The Pirates, who dropped to 0\u20134, got 18 points and eight rebounds from\u00a0John Barba, but their struggles continued on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n
In the juniors division, the\u00a0Arellano Braves\u00a0leaned on\u00a0Rey Ladica\u00a0and\u00a0Sean Franco\u00a0to fend off a late Lyceum comeback and escape with a 77\u201371 win.<\/p>\n
Ladica and Franco tallied 15 points apiece to power the Braves to their\u00a0third straight victory, keeping them atop Group A with a 3\u20131 record.\u00a0Axel Mendoza\u00a0added 12 points in the win.<\/p>\n
After leading by double digits for most of the match, Arellano nearly squandered its advantage in the fourth quarter before Ladica\u2019s steady play helped them stay afloat. His layup with 6:51 left gave the Braves a comfortable 77\u201359 cushion \u2014 just enough to withstand the Junior Pirates\u2019 final push.<\/p>\n
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