Royce Alforque only had nine points.
His final two points, though, came at the right time to lift the defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws to an 87-86 overtime triumph over the La Salle-Zobel Junior Archers.
Scoring on an assist by Daniel Celso in the last 21 seconds, Alforque’s heroics kept the Baby Tams in contention for the no. 3 seeding in the semifinals of the 80th University Athletic Association at the Blue Eagle gym in Katipunan, Quezon City.
RJ Abarrientos knocked in 27 points for FEU, which picked up its seventh win in 12 games. LJ Gonzales added 24 points for the Tams, who stayed at no. 3 behind unbeaten Ateneo (12-0) and Nazareth School-National University (10-2).
The Blue Eaglets, led by SJ Belangel with 18 points, smothered University of the Philippines Integrated School 90-75, to coast to their 12th straight win.
Rhayyan Amsali fired 13 points for the NSNU Bullpups as they prevailed over University of the East, 83-64.
Shan Vesagas shot 23 points for the Junior Archers, while Rogil Carlos made 17 before he fouled out in the last 2:25 of the extension period. It was Carlos’ triple in the last six seconds that sent the game to overtime, 75-all.
The Junior Archers, with Chris Calimag making 15, are out of the running with the 3-9 card that they share with the University of the Philippines Integrated School.
Calimag tried to find winning opportunities for the Junior Archers, but he turned the ball over in the last 11 seconds.
Earlier, the Adamson Baby Falcons failed to stop top MVP candidate CJ Cansino from scoring. But denying Cansino’s three other productive teammates from contributing important baskets allowed the Baby Falcons to frustrate the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs, 91-74.
Two of last year’s bench warmers, Andray Doria and Jose Sabandal, provided leadership for the rookie-laden Baby Falcons, who went on to post their sixth win in 12 matches.
Cansino delivered one of his best games for the season, shooting 32 points and making nine rebounds for the Tiger Cubs, who found their semifinal hopes in trouble after Adamson gained a share of fourth place with them.
Doria showed the way for the Baby Falcons with 22 points and eight rebounds, while Jose Sabandal knocked in 20 points and eight rebounds for the Baby Falcons.
“We had a lackluster first half. We were not consistent. But with collective effort, we played defense and tightened up on defense in the second half. We tried to contain Cansino. But he played a good game today, so we took care of the supporting cast,” said Adamson coach Mike Fermin.
Doria and Sabandal, who made 13 and 10 points in the third canto, hit five points apiece during an 11-2 uprising at the start of the third period.
Their efforts saw the Baby Falcons widening a 37-36 halftime spread to 11, 49-38, in the last 7:37.
The Baby Falcons then focused much of their defense on Rhayjun Baquial, Kobe Palencia and Vince Dolendo, with Baquial managing to make six of 10 points in third.
They went on to grab a 61-41 spread in the last 1:21 off Sabandal’s three-point play.
With Palencia making only of two of his seven points in the third, the Baby Falcons took their lead at 23, off Didat Hanapi’s charities, 68-45, with 1:50 to go.
FIRST GAME
ADAMSON 91 – Doria An 22, Sabandal 20, Hanapi 18, Doria Ad 15, Manlapaz 6, Santos 5, Prodigo 3, Canoy 2, Engbino 0
UST 74 – Cansino 32, Lina 11, Baquial 10, Palencia 7, Benzonan 4, Dolendo 3, Manabat 3, Narvasa 2, Anunciacion 2, Relucio 0, Villapando 0, Estrella 0
QUARTER SCORES: 19-16, 37-36, 74-54, 91-74
SECOND GAME
NU 83 – Amsali 13, Minerva 10, Malonzo 8, Javillonar 7, Fortea 7, Gonzales 6, Vinoya 6, Oczon 5, Coyoca 5, Manalang 4, Felicida 4, Dayrit 4, Pradella 2, Pangilinan 2
UE 64 – Dichoso 27, Dulalia 13, Miranda 6, Policarpio 6, Vinte 4, Lopez 3, Villarta 2, Santos 2, Tajonera 1, Angeles 0, Almacen 0, Varon 0
QUARTER SCORES: 27-14, 51-33, 69-52, 83-64
THIRD GAME
ATENEO 90 – Belangel 18, Sotto 16, Ildefonso 13, Manuel 10, Chiu 8, Credo 6, Angeles 5, Santos 5, David 3, Tanedo 3, Escalona 2, Jaymalin 0, Diaz 0, Lopa 0, Gusi 0, Ong 0
UPIS 75 – Santiago 15, Labao Raf 14, Labo Ral 14, Gregorio 7, Vergeire 6, Tupaz 5, Estrera 4, Villa-real 2, Gomez de Liano 0
QUARTER SCORES: 19-24, 53-36, 80-48, 90-75
FOURTH GAME
FEU-DILIMAN 87 – Abarrientos 27, Gonzales 24, Torres 15, Alforque 9, Celzo 6, Tolentino 2, Ona 2, Boc 2, Sajonia 0, Mariano 0
DLSZ 86 – Vesagas 23, Carlos 17, Calimag 15, Cortez 12, Cosejo 11, Udal 5, Terrado 3, Santos 0, Chavez 0, Pascual 0, Escandor 0, Damiles 0, Bonalos 0
QUARTER SCORES: 21-18, 40-36, 56-51, 75-75, 87-86 (OT)