Amazing Blazers pull thru

Mark Magsumbol got the job done when most of his teammates wavered yesterday to lift St. Benilde over San Sebastian, 66-64, in Game One of their best-of-three showdown for this year’s NCAA crown at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Blazers, in the finals for the first time since joining the league in 1998, can clinch the title with another victory tomorrow. St. Benilde is out to duplicate the victory posted by its sister school La Salle in the recent UAAP finals over FEU.

Showing nerves of steel, Magsumbol had two crucial steals in the final minute and scored the game-winning basket with only eight seconds remaining. It was the biggest game so far this season for Magsumbol who finished with 16 points.

"Magsumbol was not supposed to finish the game for us but he just played huge at a time when we needed someone to rescue us from a difficult situation," said St. Benilde coach Dong Vergeire.

The Stags, eyeing a sixth title in the last eight years, got off to a 9-0 start but the Blazers, scoreless in the first five minutes, managed to regroup and take a 35-25 lead. The first half ended with St. Benilde barely ahead, 37-33.

The game turned physical midway in the final half as the battle-tested Stags trimmed the deficit to one, 50-51. A 6-0 spurt anchored by Jay Lapinid helped the Blazers hold their counterparts at bay, 57-50.

Nuranjam Alfad and Paul Gerard Reguerra then took matters into their own hands and, scoring steadily from the free-throw line, combined in a 14-4 San Sebastian onslaught, giving the Claro M. Recto-based squad a 64-61 edge with a minute and a half left.

But it proved to be the Stags’ final thrust as Magsumbol rose to the occasion, coming up with two defensive gems, the last leading to a three-point play by teammate Alex Magpayo, who was earlier named the top rookie this year.

Christian Coronel, who made it to the Mythical Team, blew a chance to send the game into overtime when he missed a layup shortly before the final buzzer.

In the juniors division, the Mapua Red Robins handed the Letran Squires their first loss this season, scoring a 75-61 victory to forge a winner-take-all match tomorrow. For posting a rare 14-game sweep of the elimination round, the Squires were awarded a twice-to-beat edge in the finals.

Perpetual Help’s Jojo Manalo, an excellent outside shooter, was named the season’s MVP despite failing to lead the Altas to the finals. "Masaya din ako pero mas-masaya sana kung nakapasok kami sa finals," he said.

Joining Manalo and Coronel in the Mythical Team were Perpetual’s Chester Tolomia, JRC’s Ernani Epondulan and Letran’s Orlan Tama who was also chosen as the league’s Best Defensive Player.

The Most Improved Player award went to San Beda’s Jenkins Mesina while Letran’s Marcelino Soriano was named 3-Point King.