UCAL: Cabilla hits game-winning 3 as Guang Ming stuns Diliman

Games Saturday
(Paco Arena, Manila)

12 p.m. – PCU-D vs CEU
2 p.m. – PWU vs DC
4 p.m. – LPU-B vs MCU

MANILA, Philippines – Jerover Cabilla buried a triple with 1.4 seconds as Guang Ming College-Tagaytay City pulled off a dramatic 86-85 win over two-time champion Diliman College on Thursday, February 1, in the Universities and Colleges Athletic League-PG Flex Linoleum Season 6 at the Paco Arena in Manila.

GMC managed to escape with the win following two failed free throws by Diliman’s Warren Viallarta in the last seven seconds with Cabilla completing the team’s impressive come-from-behind win — also thanks to Julian Lozada’s pin- perfect assist.

The win was the second in four starts for the Tagaytay City-based school, which rallied mightily in the fourth after being outhustled and outscored in the third that saw Diliman take a 65-59 lead going into the final 10 minutes of play.

But Cabilla joined forces with Lozada, Jhyster Jones Caasalan, Kyle Lepardo and Jomarie Pecolera in posting one of the enthralling wins in the 9-school league also presented by Angel’s Pizza.

In the second game, defending champion Centro Escolar University outlasted Olivarez College, 78-69, to stretch its winning streak to four and tie idle Philippine Christian University-Dasmarinas for the lead.

And it was also the second painful defeat for Diliman after also absorbing a 76-74 defeat to newcomer Manila Central College last Saturday.

Cabilla finished with 25 points spikes by three triples aside from posting 4 rebounds while Caasalan tallied 14 points and 9 boards.

The Blue Dragons, who fell to 0-3, was paced by Axl Ross Taporco who scattered 24 points. He and Khalid Moumbagna sparked the team’s big third quarter onslaught, outscoring the GMC cagers, 22-13.