19-05-2025
FilOil: Allen Liwag saves day as Benilde escapes Mapua in preseason tiff
Allen Liwag came through in the clutch to help De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde escape a familiar foe in Mapua University, 58-56, in the 18th Filoil Preseason Cup on Sunday.
Tied at 55-all, the 6-foot-6 reigning NCAA MVP sank the biggest shot of the game — an and-one floater against the defense of Ivan Lazarte that put the Blazers ahead by three in the final 1:05 of the game, 58-55.
The Cardinals made a desperate comeback attempt but Lazarte and Clint Escamis missed their three-point attempts in the game's final moments. Escamis would split his freebies in the final eight seconds, but that wasn't enough to turn things around for the defending NCAA champions.
Liwag finished with 11 points and was the only Blazer in double figures. He also had six rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
Roger Ondoa, whose layup with 2:41 left in the fourth allowed Benilde to force the deadlock that eventually led to the Liwag game-winner, tallied six markers and four boards. Matthew Oli and Shawn Umali both chipped in with six apiece as well.
Lazarte paced Mapua with 17 points while Escamis did it on both ends with 12 markers, seven rebounds, four assists, and six steals.
The scores:
Benilde 58 -
Liwag 11, Oli 6, Ondoa 6, Umali 6, Gaspay 5, Cajucom 4, Galas 4, Celis 3, Gonzaga 3, Sanchez 3, Torres 3, Ancheta 2, Moore 2, Daja 0, Eusebio 0, Jalalon 0.
Mapua 56 - Lazarte 17, Escamis 12, Igliane 0, Agemenyi 0, Gonzales 7, Delos Reyes 6, Abdulla 5, Concepcion 4, Sapasap 3, Recto 2, Cuenco 0, Gulapa 0, Nitura 0, Pantaleon 0, Ryan 0.
Quarters: 16-19, 32-36, 47-41, 58-56.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
