By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Lyceum erased a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter and turned back Jose Rizal University, 97-92, to notch its first win in NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Sunday, Sept. 15.
John Barba and Vincent Cunanan carried the cudgels for the Pirates, who exploded from behind the arc en route to finally barging into the winning column after dropping their first three games.
Barba erupted for 28 points spiked by five triples, including three in the pivotal stretch of the final canto, while Cunanan chipped in 20 points and dished off five steals.
Lyceum slowly crawled back from an 83-71 deficit early in the fourth after McLaude Gaudana spearheaded a 12-2 blast to inch closer within two, 85-83, 4:07 left.
Shawn Argente, Jonathan Medina and Joshua Guiab tried to put out the Pirates’ offensive fire by protecting their lead, but Barba drained five straight points in the last 26.4 ticks to give Lyceum the crucial 95-92 upperhand.
JRU had multiple chances of turning things around but its attempts just bounce off the rim.
Lyceum was playing its first game without main man JM Bravo, who was ruled out of the season with a back injury he sustained in their last match against San Sebastian.
But Gaudana ably filled the gap by contributing 17 points.
Medina pumped in 22 points before he was fouled out in the final minute for JRU, while Guiab finished 20 points in a losing cause.
The Bombers dropped to their third straight win in as many outings, making them and the Arellano Chiefs (0-2) as the only winless teams so far.
The scores:
LYCEUM 97 – Barba 22, Cunanan 20, Guadaña 17, Peñafiel 9, Montaño 9, Daileg 5, Aviles 4, Moralejo 2, Gordon 1, Villegas 1, Panelo 1, Caduyac 0, Culanay 0.
JRU 92 – Medina 22, Guiab 20, Argente 11, Ramos 9, Sarmiento 9, Barrera 9, Pangilinan 3, Bernardo 3, Ferrer 2, Mosqueda 2, Panapanaan 1, De Leon 1, Raymundo 0, Samontanes 0.
Quarters: 28-32; 53-62; 61-72; 97-92.
