MALI cager Ibrahim Outtara scored on a putback in the last two seconds, to send the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons to a 72-71 win over the Centro Escolar University-A Scorpions last Sunday in a quarterfinal encounter at the St. Placid gym of the San Beda College-Manila campus in Mendiola, Manila.
His basket came off Rob Ricafort’s miss, and sent the Fighting Maroons to their seventh straight win, and into their first ever stint in the semifinal round of the 14th Fr. Martin Cup Division 2 Basketball Tournament.
The San Beda-A Red Lions joined them, and so did the Far Eastern University Tamaraws and the San Beda-B Red Lions after they eased out their respective rivals.
In the junior action, the National University Bullpups turned to Miguel Pangilinan in the dying seconds to fight off Manila Patriot School, 79-78, in overtime to finish with a 7-1 win-loss slate in Group B. They grabbed the first semis berth in their bracket.
Mac Chester Jacob shot 19 points for Hope Christian School in their 83-67 swamping of San Beda-Rizal, in the playoff for the last semis seat in Group B.
The Red Lions-A won by forfeit over the CEU-B Scorpions, who walked out after they missed a basket with less than a second left, and with the count tied at 76-all.
The FEU Tamaraws prevailed in a fight-marred encounter with the Arellano University Chiefs, 94-84, with the count halted in the last 65 seconds following a bench-clearing incident at the Arellano University gym.
The SBC-B Red Lions, led by transferee Kenmark Carino, won over Letran, 71-70.
Jun Manzo showed they way with 19 points, while Outtara tallied 15 and Kyle Ong had 11 for the Fighting Maroons.
The Maroons will meet San Beda-B at 11 a.m. in the semis on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Arellano University gym in Legarda, while FEU fights San Beda-A at 12:30 p.m. The junior semis between NU and Rich Golden Shower Montessori, and Chiang Kai Shek’s clash with Hope is at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
The Maroons earned the chance to score a win after the Scorpions committed an inbounding violation with less than 26 seconds left.
“It was a scary win. The boys were playing under pressure with their bid to post seven straight wins,” said UP coach Rodney Santos.
Arvin Tolentino, who hurt his left hand during a scuffle, led FEU with 24 points while Rendell Senining had 19.
A commotion started in the last 1:05 after FEU player Alex Araula got hurt in the shoulder following a rebound play with Arellano’s Archie Concepcion.
According to the coaching staff, there was more tension afterwards when Araula tried to escape angry fans when he unwittingly retreated into the school’s dormitory complex. School security had to escort members of the FEU team out of the premises after almost an hour.
Clint Doliguez led with 25 points for the Red Lions-A, including two charities off Jason Opiso with 0.5 seconds to go that tied the count, 76-all.
Allan Malubay topped CEU-B with 21 points and made an attempt to win it for the Scorpions.
But Red Lions cager Jeremer Cabanag got in the way as the clock wound down. With no foul called on Cabanag’s interception, Scorpions coach Yong Garcia ordered a walk out.
In the junior play, Terrence Fortea led NU with 21 points, including 9 in the extra five minutes.
Pangilinan drained his winning shot with 20.2 seconds to go.