MANILA, Philippines—Kelvin dela Peña and hot-shooting rookie Allan Mangahas powered the Mapua Cardinals past Jose Rizal U, 72-61, for their fourth straight win Friday to join a three-team tie for the last Final Four berth in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Letran also gained a playoff for a spot in the semifinals with a tough 60-54 victory that denied Philippine Christian University a winning exit from the league on a day when JRU high school player Keith Agovida shattered the league scoring record.

Agovida dropped 82 points in 37 minutes on the floor during the Light Bombers’ 127-49 massacre of Mapua in an earlier game.

The 6-foot-1 junior made 36 of 49 shots and hit 10 of his 16 free throws, surpassing the previous record of 71 points by Letran’s Erwin Bolabola established in the late 1970s, according to league officials.

Playing with a mild sprained ankle, the reed-thin Mangahas sizzled for 12 points inside the final four minutes, enabling the Cardinals to close out the elimination-round with a 9-5 record in a tie with San Sebastian and Jose Rizal. The scenario that will be adapted to break the tie will be announced after the result of the San Beda-Letran match on Wednesday.

Mangahas buried a triple off a feed from Dela Peña with two minutes remaining to make it 65-56 and buried another to beat the shotclock with 20 seconds left to finish with 22 points.

“As much as possible, we wanted to put our fate into our own hands,” said Mapua coach Leo Isaac.

Dela Peña, picked by Alaska in the PBA Draft Sunday, ended up with 18 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. He also had four steals.

The senior scores:

First Game

LETRAN 60—Jazul 20, Melegrito 13, Foronda 10, Belencion 5, Cortes 5, Guevarra3, Ranises 2, Del Rosario 2, Dangcal 0, Cabonce 0, Latonio 0.

PCU 59—McCoy 11, Gomez 11, Siruma 9, Vidal 6, San Pedro 6, Busa 5, Allen 3, Arce 2, Sumera 0, Asunscion 0.

Quarters: 7-12, 19-28, 37-40, 60-54

Second Game

MAPUA 72—Mangahas 22, Dela Pena 18, Pascual N. 12, Banal 11, Mazo 5, Soriano 2, Pascual J. 2, Sarangay 0.

JRU 61—Hayes 19, Pradas 11, Nocom 9, Wilson 6, Sena 6, Njei 5, Cagoco 3, Agas 2, Bulangis 0.
Quarters: 18-16, 35-31, 54-46, 72-61