ALLEN LIWAG SHINES AS BENILDE AVENGES FINAL FOUR LOSS TO MAPUA

College of Saint Benilde opened its NCAA Season 100 campaign in style, avenging its Season 99 Final Four defeat with a commanding 78-65 victory over Mapua University on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The Blazers, who trailed for most of the game, turned the tide in the fourth quarter, overpowering an undersized Cardinals squad in the paint. Allen Liwag, a key offseason acquisition from Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), delivered an outstanding performance, leading Benilde with 23 points and 18 rebounds. His dominance inside was instrumental in the Blazers’ late-game surge, which secured the comfortable win.

Benilde found themselves struggling early, falling behind by as much as nine points at 12-21 following a layup by Mapua’s Clint Escamis. The Blazers spent the majority of the game playing catch-up, trying to close the gap against a Cardinals squad that showed flashes of their Finals form from last season.

The tide began to turn at the end of the third quarter. Justin Sanchez hit what appeared to be a three-pointer at the buzzer, but after a review, it was ruled a two-point shot, tying the game at 55-55. This crucial moment set the stage for a dramatic fourth quarter, where the Blazers finally found their rhythm.

With just over five minutes left in the game, Benilde trailed by three points. However, the Blazers responded with a massive 13-2 run, spearheaded by Liwag, Gab Cometa, and Tony Ynot. This decisive stretch allowed Benilde to wrestle control of the game and secure the 78-65 victory, spoiling Mapua's season opener.

After the game, head coach Charles Tiu praised his team’s defensive effort, particularly in the second half.

“That was a good win, especially because I thought defensively, in the fourth when it mattered, we played some good defense,” Tiu said. “Even in the third, we started it with good defense. We didn’t play our best game; maraming bago sa team namin, medyo kinakabahan pa yata dito, but at least pinapagpag na.”

While Liwag’s monster performance grabbed headlines, Benilde’s new recruits also played pivotal roles in their comeback. Gab Cometa contributed 17 points off the bench, despite struggling from beyond the arc, while Tony Ynot filled the stat sheet with nine points, five rebounds, eight assists, and four steals. Jhomel Ancheta chipped in nine points as well.

With the win, Benilde improves to 1-0, tying them with San Beda University in the early standings. The two teams will face off on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in a showdown that could determine early momentum in the season.