NCAA: Peñaverde, Mangubat lead way as undermanned JRU escapes LPU

Sanlea Peñaverde had a breakout game while Lawrence Mangubat returned in style to help the shorthanded Jose Rizal University survive Lyceum of the Philippines University, 81-78, in the NCAA Season 102 on Tuesday.

Peñaverde dropped his best game of the season by dropping six triples to finish with 22 points, five assists, and two rebounds while Mangubat flirted with a double-double of 12 markers and nine assists to mark his return after sitting out their 75-71 loss to San Beda University.

Ivan Panapanaan also took care of the boards after grabbing 12 rebounds alongside 10 points, making up for the void left by the injured Chris Hubilla and forward Noel Agemenyi, whose ejection early in the fourth left a huge hole for JRU.

The three-point win allowed the Heavy Bombers to regain Group A's top spot with an 8-3 record while the Pirates ended their three-game winning streak to go 4-6.

JRU stayed in control for most of the game, with Agemenyi opening the fourth quarter with a putback slam but his momentum was cut short as he was ejected after being assessed a technical foul on top of an earlier flagrant foul.

The Heavy Bombers, though, were unbothered by it with Peñaverde knocking down three straight three-pointers to send JRU to a 75-63 cushion.

LPU, which was coming off a string of victories over Perpetual, San Sebastian, and Arellano, unloaded a 12-4 rampage led by veteran Renz Villegas and rookie Matthew Rubico as they pulled to within four, 79-75.

LPU then translated a shot clock violation from JRU into offense after Matthew Rubico converted a three-point play to cut the deficit to a solitary point, 79-78, with 16 seconds left.

Mangubat calmly sank a pair of free throws to regain an 81-78 lead in the final 9.2 ticks, sealing another nail-biting win for JRU.

Villegas paced LPU with 20 points, eight rebounds, and six assists while Jonathan Daileg and Rubico chipped in 15 and 12 markers each.

—JMB, GMA News