MANILA — The College of St. Benilde (CSB) Blazers are off to their best start under head coach Charles Tiu, following a commanding victory over the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA. The Blazers defeated the Altas 78-51 in their NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball match at the San Juan Arena on Wednesday afternoon, showcasing a balanced offensive strategy.
Leading the charge for CSB was Justin Sanchez, who tallied 13 points, eight rebounds, and a steal. Teammates Tony Ynot and Gab Cometa contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively, while rookie Jhomel Ancheta added nine points, two rebounds, and an assist.
Coach Tiu praised the team’s depth and the various players stepping up, emphasizing this as a key factor in their early success. “That’s one of our goals, and that’s something that we’ve talked about throughout the off-season — everybody, somebody’s gonna step up for us. Marami kaming makukunan every game. We have to sacrifice din because we have to find minutes for everybody,” Tiu explained.
He added that this unpredictability makes the team a formidable opponent. “It’s very positive din na we have a lot of options… Ngayon, any game may iba,” Tiu said, highlighting Sanchez’s performance in this game. He noted that Sanchez provided energy early on, helping the Blazers build a lead they maintained throughout the game.
This victory marked CSB’s fourth consecutive win of the season. Tiu stressed the importance of securing wins early in the season to create a buffer in the standings. “Sa NCAA, any team can upset one another,” he noted. “It’s important to get some separation ’cause I guess, in the end, we may see the usual [teams]. And this is important if we want to get the twice-to-beat advantage.”
Despite a strong showing from Perpetual rookie Mark Gojo Cruz, who finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists, the Altas fell to their second straight defeat in four games.