MANILA, Philippines – Rookie Byron Villarias took charge in overtime and powered a peaking Jose Rizal University to a 64-57 triumph over Perpetual Help Friday in the 87th season of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
The shifty rookie Villiarias, who finished with 11 points, sank a crucial triple off-the-glass, then aided John Lopez on an inside drive in OT which tided the Heavy Bombers to a seven-point cushion.
Villarias, who settled the issue with a putback with under a minute to play, also had six rebounds and five points in the win which boosted JRU to solo fourth in the standings with a 7-9 card, and broke off from the log jam with Mapua and Lyceum, which are toting 6-9 records.
The Heavy Bombers, who fanned their streak to four games, though, needed time to warm up as it played catch-up behind the nifty Altas until a wide open Raycon Kabigting nailed one from deep to finally give them a 50-47 lead with 7:50 in the payoff period.
Kabigting, though, missed on a hasty game-winner of a trey as the time expired in regulation.
Perpetual Help, which bid its contention adieu with the setback, started on fire but could not keep up until the fourth quarter where it managed only two field goals, the last of which was a game-tying fingeroll by Jaycee Asuncion.
The loss spoiled the valiant effort of newcomer Earl Thompson as the Altas, which dropped its 13th assignment which just three wins, missed another ride to the final four for the seventh straight season.
Thompson notched 15 points, along with eight rebounds, and a nearly perfect stint from the line for Perpetual Help, which led by as many as seven points twice early in the third quarter before its shooting went cold.