Games today:
(Filoil EcoOil Centre)
11 a.m. — Letran vs EAC
2:30 p.m. — Saint Benilde vs Perpetual
Lawrence Mangubat came to the rescue for Mapua University after draining the game-winning three-pointer in their 69-68 victory over Lyceum of the Philippines University to clinch a spot in the Final Four of Season 100 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament Tuesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Down by two points, Mangubat jacked up a triple over the defense of Jonathan Daileg with 3.9 seconds left.
The Mapua rookie hounded Greg Cunanan on defense, who forced a pass to Dialeg and missed what could have been a game-winning shot in the dying seconds.
Mangubat finished with 16 points and five rebounds as the Cardinals raised their mark to 11-3.
They now join College of Saint Benilde, which leads the league with an 11-2 slate, as the only teams to make it to the Final Four.
Mangubat said Mapua head coach Randy Alcantara and team captain Clint Escamis had faith that he would be the one to knock down the clincher.
“Coach Randy trusted me to take the last shot. There were other options like Clint and Cy (Marc Cuenco) who could take the shot as well,” Mangubat said.
“It just so happened that I got the ball. There was a defender in front of me so I just threw the ball and hoped for the best.”
Escamis, who scored 10 points, said he knew they would get the win after seeing Mangubat drain the tough shot.
“I knew the game would go in our favor after he drained that shot. That triple was hard to pull off because someone was guarding him,” said Escamis, the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player.
“I had confidence he would make that shot.”
Chris Hubilla scored 14 points while Cuenco had 11 points and five assists for Mapua.
Renz Villegas had 22 points as Lyceum dropped to sixth place with a 6-8 slate.
The Pirates are now tied in sixth place with University of Perpetual Help System Dalta as squads scramble for the two remaining Final Four slots.
Meanwhile, defending champion San Beda University crushed Jose Rizal University, 83-70, in the second game to boost its own Final Four bid.
James Payosing dropped 18 points and six rebounds as the Red Lions tightened their hold of the third spot with a 9-5 slate.
“It’s nice to come up with a win after a loss. You would know how your team reacts coming off defeats,” Red Lions head coach Yuri Escueta said.
“I just told them to take care of our business and do our jobs, Let’s get one game at a time, stay at the No. 3 spot, and probably slip into the No. 2 spot.”
The scores:
First game
MAPUA (69) — Mangubat 16, Hubilla 14, Cuenco 11, Escamis 10, Concepcion 6, Igliane 4, Recto 4, Jabonete 2, Ryan 2, Abdulla 0, Bancale 0, Garcia 0.
LYCEUM (68) — Villegas 22, Montaño 9, Cunanan 8, Aviles 7, Daileg 7, Guadaña 5, Barba 5, Peñafiel 3, Versoza 2, Caduyac 0, Moralejo 0.
QUARTERS: 18-12, 28-25, 54-40, 69-68.
Second game
SAN BEDA (83) — Payosing 18, Puno 17, Tagle 9, Calimag 8, Royo 7, Estacio 5, Bonzalida 5, Andrada 5, Celzo 5, Songcuya 2, Culdora 2, Jalbuena 0.
JRU (70) — Argente 16, Guiab 13, Raymundo 9, Bernardo 8, Panapanaan 6, De Leon 4, Sarmiento 4, Barrera 4, Ramos 2, Medina 2, De Jesus 2, Mosqueda 0, Pangilinan 0, Lozano 0.
QUARTERS: 17-18, 46-31, 69-53, 83-70.