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| Ian Torres is amazed after scoring a three. NCAA |
MANILA––College of St. Benilde averted a late meltdown as Mapua just fell short of forcing overtime and was dethroned as NCAA men's basketball champion with a 72-74 knockout quarterfinal defeat on Friday at the Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan City.
Blowing a 16-point halftime lead and even letting the Cardinals lead, 63-62, midway through the fourth quarter, the Blazers went on a 10-1 run behind baskets from Shawn Umali and Ian Torres to take a 72-64 lead with 2:08 left.
Cyril Gonzales, though, scored on a layup and assisted on Cyrus Cuenco's three that cut the lead back to three, 72-69, with exactly one minute to go.
Allen Liwag kept CSB afloat after beating the shotclock buzzer with a follow-up layup that upped his team's lead back to five, 74-69, with 23.1 seconds to go.
However, JC Recto hit an off-the-glass three that put the lead back down to two with 13.6 seconds to go, and his fellow Mapuans forced a turnover at the other end.
Recto had his golden chance to send the game to overtime, but he missed two free throws, and Nitura misfired a corner jumper off the offensive rebound.
Raffy Celis, who stepped up for the Blazers with Liwag and Umali not having solid offensive games, secured the game-saving rebound.
Celis finished with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal for CSB, which will play San Beda in the Final 4 on Tuesday.
Torres added 12 points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal.
Recto also had 18 markers with five rebounds, one assist, and one steal for Mapua, which dearly missed Clint Escamis in the last nine minutes of the game after he was whistled for a disqualifying foul.
The scores:
ST. BENILDE 74 – Celis 18, Torres 12, Ynot 11, Liwag 9, Sanchez 6, Umali 5, Ancheta 5, Gaspay 4, Morales 2, Cajucom 2, Oli 0
MAPÚA 72 – Recto 18, Cuenco 17, Gonzales 11, Sapasap 7, Nitura 4, Concepcion 4, Delos Reyes 4, Lazarte 4, Escamis 3, Igliane 0, Abdulla 0, Reyes 0
Quarterscores: 24-17, 47-31, 60-53, 74-72
