The undermanned College of St. Benilde Blazers found stability in the steady hands of Raffy Celis — a player known for his versatility and toughness in the paint.
The 6-foot-3 Celis, a transferee from the Ateneo Blue Eagles, stepped up as a leader in the absence of five sidelined teammates, guiding the Blazers to a hard-fought 73-65 victory over the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers on Sunday.
Celis, a small forward molded under the system of Tab Baldwin, delivered key baskets and finished with 20 points to help CSB stay atop Group B in the 101st NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
“I thought Celis was huge, and Justin Sanchez made plays,” said Blazers coach Charles Tiu. “But defensively, we were soft. Credit to JRU — they’re a good team.”
The 22-year-old Celis took charge midway through the second quarter, scoring a putback and a triple during a crucial stretch that gave the Blazers a 42-34 halftime lead.
CSB continued to miss the services of Allen Liwag, Gab Cometa, Joshua Cajucom, Ernest Daja, and Jericho Jalalon, all sidelined by flu.
Celis then made his presence felt again in the final period, scoring eight points, including a dagger basket that pushed the Blazers ahead by 10, 73-63, to seal the win.
The Heavy Bombers, who dropped to third in Group B with a 2-2 record, were led by Sean Salvador’s 13 points.
Meanwhile, in the juniors’ division, Prince Mallorca helped the JRU Light Bombers escape with a 66-64 win over the La Salle Greenhills Greenies.
JRU surged ahead, 66-61, with 1:02 left, before the Greenies faltered — managing only three free throws while committing two turnovers and missing three shots down the stretch.
Despite the loss, Josef Calo-oy and Patrick Pasinos shone for the Greenies with 20 and 17 points, respectively, as they dropped to 2-1 in Group B.
