PCCL: Heavy Bombers survive Roi Sumang, UE in double OT

The Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers needed two overtime periods before finally putting away the University of the East Red Warriors, 104-99, allowing the NCAA team to advance to the round of 16, on the final day of the Metro Manila Qualifiers of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League, Thursday at the FilOil Flying V Arena. The two squads were playing for the right to face the Adamson University Soaring Falcons in the Sweet 16, after the latter squad defeated the Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals in the earlier game. Making things more complicated was the fact that the St. Clare College Saints were able to defeat the St. Francis of Assisi College Doves, 60-52, earlier on. That meant that UE needed to win by at least five points due to the quotients involved, should JRU, UE and SCC all finish at 2-1. In the game's first half, JRU's pressure defense forced UE into a whopping 18 turnovers, which allowed the NCAA squad to put together a 43-35 lead. Off a Red Warriors miscue at the 7:26 mark, Juan Salaveria was able to draw a foul and can two charities for a 15-point lead, 52-37. The Heavy Bombers were unable to hang on to their advantage however, as five straight points by Roi Sumang in the fourth got UE to within a triple, 64-61 with 7:11 left. Baskets by John Villarias managed to keep JRU ahead by two scores temporarily, but Sumang was able to hit from outside to knot things at 72-all with 2:54 left. Several plays later, the gutsy UE playmaker then found his big man Chris Javier, who managed to draw a foul and build a three-point advantage, 78-75. JRU responded by going to their veteran power forward John Lopez, and his double-clutch move was good for his first score in the fourth period, 78-77 with 26 seconds left. Sumang missed a triple, forcing UE to foul, but luckily for them, Michael Mabulac was only able to draw a split at the line, making it 78-all and necessitating overtime. In the first overtime period, UE built a four-point advantage as Sumang found JR Sumido to make it 85-81, 2:38 left, only for John Villarias to first tie, and then give his side the lead, 88-85 after an and-one play. Sumang countered by knotting things at 88-all again, and JRU still was unable to get anything late, as the two teams entered a second overtime period. There, Cris Dela Paz took over, scoring eight of his side's 16 points, including an off-balance attempt that made it 102-99 with 45 seconds left. After Sumang missed a desperation triple, JRU sealed things with Ronnel Carampil nailing a baseline jumper with 8.9 seconds left, to arrive at the final score. Sophomore John Villarias led the way for JRU with 35 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Sumang on the other hand came just short of a triple-double, powering in 36 points on 11-of-33 shooting, in addition to 12 rebounds and nine assists.  UE could have used the services of graduating gunner Gene Belleza, but he was out playing in the PBA-DL for the Fruitas Shakers. There's no rest for JRU however, as they'll play Adamson immediately on Friday, in Tanuan, Batangas City. The winner of that battle clashes against whoever emerges in the University of Batangas Brahmans vs La Finns Scholastica tiff, on Saturday. - AMD, GMA News