Haruna dunks over Brandon Vera! 49 points! #NCAAAllStar pic.twitter.com/msTsQ9qLqs
— Randolph B. Leongson (@RLeongsonINQ) August 12, 2016
St. Benilde finally caught the break it badly needed.
Yankie Haruna escaped with the Slam Dunk title after outlasting San Beda’s Eugene Toba Friday in the NCAA All-Star at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The 22-year-old forward came away with the title despite missing his first dunk in the Finals, where he even fell hard to the floor after jumping over teammates JJ Domingo, Carlo Young, and Rene Sta. Maria.
“I almost killed myself. But it was good,” he said.
Still, he made his second dunk matter, converting on his slam after jumping over judge Brandon Vera to get a 49 to finish with 79 points.
Yankie Haruna dunks over Brandon Vera. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
“I didn’t think I was going to win. I was hoping that he will miss his last dunk and give myself a chance to win,” said Haruna.
Toba was poised to snare the crown after converting an off-the-bounce 180 one-hander for a 46 in the first dunk,but failed to make his dunk attempt over a seated Bright Akhuetie off a pass from Davon Potts in the second try to wound up with 76 points.
He emerged as the favorite after topping the preliminary phase with a double-pump slam and score a perfect 50.
Haruna had to fend off Arellano’s Lervin Flores in the dunk-off after both scored 49 in the eliminations.
His off-the-bounce windmill was enough to propel him to the championship duel.
“It’s really something I didn’t practice and I had to come up with things I do regularly. Luckily, my dunks went in and I thank God for it,” he said.
Haruna atoned for last year’s defeat to Jebb Bulawan and gave the Blazers something to cheer about.
“It feels good. We finally have something that we can to share to the school. I’m just thankful about it,” he said. “I just had to work hard for it and hope for the best.”
Also competing were Lyceum’s Jaycee Marcelino, Letran’s Renato Ular, EAC’s Sidney Onwubere, JRU’s Kim Aurin, Perpetual’s Rommel Mangalino, and San Sebastian’s Allyn Bulanadi.
Aside from Vera, judges in the contest were celebrities Rayver Cruz, Miles Ocampo, and Kelly Day, and NCAA Press Corps president Cedelf Tupas of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.