Champions League: JRU stuns UST, 65-63

The Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers proved themselves to be no lightweights by beating University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers, newly crowned UAAP champs, 65-63, in the 4th Collegiate Champions League. Mark Cagoco scored the marginal points from the freethrow line with 1:56 left, allowing the Heavy Bombers to hold on to a stunning 65-63 win over the Growling Tigers right in their hometurf, the UST Gym on España, Manila. The Heavy Bombers kept the Tigers scoreless while scoring 13 points in the first 6:22 of the payoff period to grab the lead, 63-61, on a basket by JM Wilson with less than four minutes left. Dylan Ababou stopped the bleeding and knotted the count with two freethrows, 3:22 to go, before Cagoco's winning charities. "Puso ang nagdala sa amin," JRU coach Ariel Vanguardia said. "Sabi ko naman before the game, dehado kami sa tao at sa crowd pero hindi sa puso." Save for a brief commotion in the second period, the Tigers were in control of the first half. Tigers June Dizon and Mel Gile were thrown out for entering the court after Marvin Hayes of the Heavy Bombers committed an unsportsmanlike foul on their star forward Jojo Duncil, 7:34 remaining before halftime. Duncil also got a technical foul for second motion. But the Tigers quickly regained their composure and posted several double-digit leads, the biggest at 37-23 after back-to-back hits by Jervy Cruz. They were anything but composed when it mattered the most, as they were outsmarted by the Bombers in the homestretch of the ballgame. The Heavy Bombers, wildcard entries from the NCAA, will face the sixth seeded Letran Knights in the quarterfinals. Green Lancers beat Falcons, 70-67 Earlier, Von Lanete, youngest brother of PBL veteran Chico Lanete, canned two freethrows with 6.9 seconds left to lift the University of Visayas Green Lancers past the Adamson Falcons, 70-67. It was hardly a shocker, although the Green Lancers were seeded three notches lower than the seventh ranked Falcons. "We came here to win," said UV coach Elmer "Boy" Cabahug. "Pinag-aralan lang namin ang galaw nila (Falcons) nung first half bago kami umatake sa last two quarters." The No. 1 team from the Vis-Min area led for the majority of the second half, posting the game's biggest lead midway in the third, 47-40, after a three-pointer from Chris Diputado. The Green Lancers also matched that lead early in the fourth after a similar howitzer from Lanete, 57-50. Their defense also clicked down the stretch. Morsie Akad forced a jumpball against Patrick Cabahug with the possession arrow pointing to the Green Lancers, 7.8 seconds remaining, setting up Lanete's crucial charities. They also limited Ken Bono to 13 points on 6-of-17 shooting (35 percent). The UAAP MVP also missed a potential game-tying trey at the buzzer. The Green Lancers, third place finishers last year, became the first lower ranked team to win in the Sweet 16. They will next meet the winner between NCAA champions San Beda College Red Lions and the National University Bulldogs. Akad, who also pushed their lead to 68-65 with 1:18 to play, led the many-time Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) champion with 13 points and nine rebounds. "Magandang panalo sa amin 'to dahil dapat 'yung mga magagaling nila sa amin naglalaro," said UV assistant coach Al Solis, referring to Bono, Cabahug, and Roel Hugnatan. Jay Rodriguez and Dino Berame, the MVP contenders of the Green Lancers in their league, combined for 20 points and 17 rebounds. Berame, a mobile 6-foot-7 slotman, also blocked three shots, including one against Bono in the final minute. "Ang bentahe namin sa kanila (Falcons) is 'yung bilis namin. Pati kasi sentro namin nakakatakbo," Solis noted. The Green Lancers had four more fastbreak points than the Falcons, 8-4, and five more points off turnovers, 10-5. They also picked up four more steals, 7-3. Scores: University of Visayas (70) – Akad 13, Rodriguez 11, Diputado 9, Berame 9, Manique 9, Lanete 8, Esparat 2, Arda 0, Canoy 0, Sendrijas 0. Adamson University (67) – Cabahug 20, Bono 13, Hugnatan 12, Gonzalgo 9, Yong 5, Pacheco 2, Agustin 2, Poloyapoy 2, Basilio 2, Gorospe 0, Santos 0, Orera 0. Quarters: 17-15; 38-36; 54-48; 70-67. Jose Rizal University (65) – Cagoco 17, Wilson 15, Dedicatoria 12, Hayes 7, Nocom 4, Senja 3, Se 3, Pradas 2, Penequito 2, Echane 0, Caspe 0. University of Santo Tomas (63) – Taylor 17, Duncil 16, Cruz 10, Espiritu 4, Evangelista 4, Cortez 4, Gile 3, Allera 3, Ababou 2, Dizon 0, Cuan 0. Quarters: 18-24; 30-39; 50-61; 65-63.

- GMANews.TV