Unlikely hero saves Stags

Reigning titlist San Sebastian found an unlikely hero in Mark Legarde as the Stags turned back the Mapua Cardinals, 63-61, yesterday to get back into the thick of things in the NCAA basketball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Stepping up in the absence of starting center Clark Moore, Legarde scored on a fastbreak lay-up with two seconds left in the contest, lifting the Stags to their third win in five games.

"Wala masyadong diskarte ang batang iyan pero malakas lang talaga ang katawan, tingnan mo naman siya pa ang nagpanalo sa amin," said SSC coach Arturo Valenzona, referring to the 6-foot-4 Legarde, a 22-year-old Cainta, Rizal native.

It was, however, Valenzona’s veterans who started it all for the three-peat seeking defending champions.

With Moore out of commission, Chris Baluyot and Leemar Najorda took charge for the Stags when the Cardinals tried to pull away.

Baluyot broke a 47-all tie with a triple to make it 50-47 midway in the fourth quarter but MIT’s Jefferthom Gonzales drained his own trey to knot the count at 50-all.

Then came Nicole Uy, who missed his team’s game the last time out due to a fractured right finger but who came up with six points to key a 9-4 run for a 59-54 SSC lead with 55 seconds remaining.

A 7-2 blast capped by a three-pointer by Hermar Sumalinog evened the count anew at 61-all. But the Cardinals celebrated too early, enabling Gonzales to dish out a pass to a streaking Legarde for the game winner.

Ryan Malig’s desperation heave at the buzzer failed to hit its target as Mapua reeled to its second setback in three games.