SATURDAY SHOCKER: Heavy Bombers surprise Knights

SATURDAY SHOCKER: Heavy Bombers surprise Knights | Daily Tribune

Games today:

(Filoil EcoOil Centre)

12 p.m. — Saint Benilde vs EAC

2:30 p.m. — San Sebastian vs Arellano

Mart Barrera fired a career-high 22 points to carry Jose Rizal University (JRU) to a stunning 90-86 victory over Letran College in Season 100 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Barrera, 25, shot 10-of-15 from the field and had two assists as the Heavy Bombers snapped a four-game losing streak.

The Bacolod Tay Tung College product said he just responded to the call of JRU head coach Louie Gonzalez.

“We were just challenged by coach Louie because I wasn’t able to deliver in the past few games. I just stayed ready and followed our system,” Barrera said.

“We set the tone in the game and started on defense.”

With 1:38 left in the fourth quarter, Barrera sank a crucial layup to give JRU an 86-81 advantage.

Trailing 82-87, Rafael Go drained a jumper with 1:01 on the clock to cut the deficit to three.

Joshua Guiab then sank three free throws for JRU in the dying seconds to put the game in the bag.

Gonzalez said their plan was to outrun the Knights.

“What I did was challenge the bigs of Letran to chase my big men from the outside. Pao Javilonar is already a pro-bound player and Kevin Santos is playing really good,” Gonzalez said.

“I told my big men that we should outpace them.”

Guiab had 19 points and four rebounds while Wayne de Leon had 10 points and seven rebounds as JRU improved to a 4-9 win-loss record despite staying in ninth place.

Knights rookie Jimboy Estrada had 29 points as they sank to a 7-7 slate even though they are still in the fourth spot.

Meanwhile, University of Perpetual Help System snapped a two-game losing streak after beating Lyceum of the Philippines University in overtime, 89-83, in the first game.

JP Boral led the Altas with 18 points and six rebounds as they assumed seventh place with a 6-8 record.

Renz Villegas had 23 points as the Pirates dropped to sixth place with a 6-7 slate.

The scores:

First game

PERPETUAL (89) — Boral 18, Pagaran 16, Nuñez 15, Abis 12, Gojo Cruz 9, Manuel 7, Pizarro 6, Montemayor 4, Gelsano 2.

LYCEUM (83) — Villegas 23, Barba 17, Daileg 10, Guadaña 9, Moralejo 9, Aviles 5, Peñafiel 4, Montaño 3, Versoza 3, Panelo 0, Gordon 0, Pallingayan 0.

QUARTERS: 26-25, 46-45, 64-59, 77-77, 89-83 (OT).

Second game

JRU (90) — Barrera 22, Guiab 19, De Leon 10, Argente 9, Ramos 7, Bernardo 7, Sarmiento 7, Raymundo 6, Pangilinan 3, Panapanaan 0, De Jesus 0, Lozano 0, Benitez 0, Mosqueda 0.

LETRAN (86) — Estrada 29, Miller 16, Cuajao 13, Go 9, Jumao-As 7, Montecillo 6, Nunag 3, Santos 2, Javillonar 1, Dimaano 0.

QUARTERS: 28-22, 45-48, 63-61, 90-86.