Knights buck big scare vs Bombers

Letran flirted with disaster but pulled off a 74-70 victory over Jose Rizal U just the same as the defending champions posted their third straight win to remain on top in the 82nd NCAA basketball tournament at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Boyet Bautista and Aaron Aban delivered as expected, finishing with 16 and 15 points, respectively, while Mark Balneg tossed in 14 points in his best performance thus far for the Knights, who trailed in the first three quarter before seizing control in the fourth.

"I’m expecting a tough game because their coach knows us really well," said Letran coach Louie Alas, referring to long-time assistant and now Jose Rizal mentor Ariel Vanguardia.

The Bombers showed their familiarity with the Knights’ system, even outplaying them as they took 14-9, 34-30, and 53-51 leads in the first three quarters. They also battled the Muralla-based cagers into three deadlocks and eight lead changes, the last at 51-47 with over a minute to go in the third quarter.

But Letran clamped down on defense and started connecting from the three-point area as the Knights pulled ahead at 72-59 behind a stirring 21-6 run at the onset of the fourth period.

In control, Alas pulled out his mainstays and sent in the second stringers but nearly paid dearly for it as the Bombers struck back to close with in two, 70-72, with four and three-tenth seconds left in the play.

JRU’s Floyd Dedicatoria then forced Rafael Jazul to a jump ball that gave the Bombers possession and 1.1 seconds to come up with a make-or-break play.

But Carlos Fenequito made a poor inbound pass to a John Wilson, dashing the Bombers’ hopes of pulling off a shocker. It was JRU’s second straight defeat.

In the other seniors’ game, Philippine Christian U rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to turn back Perpetual Help, 66-63, in a game that was later put under protest by the Altas.

Perpetual Help contended that a goal-tending violation should have been called on Ian Garrido for deflecting a three-point shot by Khiel Misa. But officials said the buzzer had sounded before the shot was launched.