Arellano University needed a wild fourth-quarter surge and two extra periods to pull off a 109-107 win against Mapua University in their do-or-die Game 3 clash in the NCAA Season 101 juniors basketball semifinals on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Braves sent the top-seeded Red Robins home while sealing their place in the championship round in the process, making the finals for the first time since Season 91 in 2015.
Several heroes rose to the occasion for Arellano in the sudden death.
MVP frontrunner Sean Franco led the offense with 26 points together with eight rebounds, five steals, five blocks, and three assists while the troika of Chris Dy, Ray Ladica, and Axel Mendoza each posted 19 markers.
Aaron Manansala finished with 14 points while Laurence Pillas tallied six markers, but knocked down the biggest shot after sinking the game-winning layup with 2.3 seconds left in the game as the Red Robins came up empty in the next play.
Before that huge shot, Arellano had to crawl back from 11 points down late in the fourth after the Red Robins established an 86-75 lead. The Braves refused to fold as Manansala and Dy sank a triple each to power a 12-4 run and pull within three, 90-87.
Jhon Gemao responded with his own three-pointer for a six-point lead but Franco and Dy fired long bombs to drag Mapua to an overtime.
Tied again at 100-all in the first extra period, Arellano had the chance to seal it once and for all but Dy turned the leather over leading to a Mapua possession. But Franco came alive on defense, denying a potential game-winning basket from Froilan Reyes as both teams headed to another OT.
Momentum swung onto Mapua's side with Ray Relojo and Reyes bringing them to a 107-102 cushion. It then quickly shifted back to Arellano when Manansala converted a tough layup and Franco buried a corner triple to force a deadlock yet again.
Mapua then committed a shot clock violation, setting the stage for the Pillas game-winner as the Red Robins were called for a goaltending infraction.
Reyes paced Mapua in the absence of top scorer Jhillian Palis, who served a one-game suspension for his two technical fouls in Game 2. Reyes churned out 20 pointsm five rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block while Gemao chipped in 17 markers and six boards.
Arellano now await the winner between the semifinals decider between Group B top seed Emilio Aguinaldo College and Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
