Celada leads arellano to victory

ANDRIAN Celada showed yesterday that he is in a class all on his own as he scored a career-high 29 points spiked by six three-point shots that buoyed the Arellano University Chiefs to an 89-77 win over the Lyceum Pirates yesterday in the 87th NCAA basketball tournament at the Arena in San Juan City.

Rocky Acidre backed Celada with 17, as the Chiefs notched their fifth win in 15 games, while handing the Pirates their ninth setback in 14 games.

Celada, who played the entire 40 minutes, had 10 and Acidre scored 11 in the first quarter, giving Arellano its first sizeable lead, 28-18, going into the second quarter.

The Chiefs held on to the lead all game-long en route to the win, their first after three straight losses. The Chiefs lost to the Pirates 74-84 in the first round, and their win yesterday not only avenged that loss but also enhanced their chances of stealing the no. 4 spot currently held by the Mapua Cardinals, who are still playing the SSC Stags as of presstime./Correspondent Jonas Panerio