Vince Cunanan carved out 20 points for the Lyceum Pirates, who needed an overtime period to quell the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, 99-96, on Tuesday at the start of the second round of the 99th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the FilOil-EcoOil Arena in San Juan.
Enoch Valdez added 14 with Patrick Montano for the Pirates, who wiggled their way out of a three-game losing skid, to grab second spot with a 6-3 mark. JRU slipped to 6-4.
Valdez’s triple and two charities in the last 16.9 seconds won the game for the Pirates, who are behind the solo-leading Mapua Cardinals (8-1) and the San Beda Red Lions (7-2).
Shaun Umali shot 13 points and his block on JRU’s Marwin Dionisio at the buzzer of regulation sent the contest into an extra five minutes.
It was also Umali’s jumper with 48 ticks to go off Valdez’s pass which tied the count, 87-all, allowing Lyceum to force an overtime.
Joshua Guiab topscored with 21 points for JRU, while JL de los Santos knocked in 14.
The scores:
First Game
LPU 99- Cunanan 20, Valdez 14, Montano 14, Umali 13, Barba 12, Bravo 10, Penafiel 5, Villegas 4, Omandac 3, Aviles 2, Culanay 2, Fuentes 0, Versoza 0.
JRU 96- Guiab 21, Miranda 19, Delos Santos 14, Argente 10, Sarmiento 8, Dionisio 6, Medina 6, Pabico 6, Sy 3, Arenal 2, dela Rosa 1, De Leon 0, Ramos 0, Mosqueda 0 Quarterscores: 28-23; 54-53; 71-72; 87-all (OT); 99-96