Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Emilio Aguinaldo College banked on unlikely heroes in Jerome Garcia and Jeric Diego late to overcome Jose Rizal University, 88-84, Tuesday in the NCAA Season 93 men’s basketball tournament at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The forwards combined for 18 of the Generals’ 31 fourth quarter points to complete the come-from-behind win and take solo fourth place with a 6-6 record.
”I’m very thankful. I can’t say anything about my players but I’m thankful to the Lord and to my players because they’re doing their very best,” said EAC coach Ariel Sison.
Garcia fired 16 points and had four rebounds, and three assists, while Diego got 11 markers, six boards, and two dimes.
Sidney Onwubere topscored for EAC with 28 points on top of eight rebounds, including a huge trey from the top-of-the-arc with 57.4 seconds left to take the air out of the Heavy Bombers.
The Generals fought back from 14 points down and a seven-point deficit in the final five minutes as they staged a killer 17-5 tear to grab an 86-81 lead courtesy of a gutsy Francis Munsayac drive in the final 32 seconds.
Jed Mendoza led JRU (7-5) with 22 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, while Tey Teodoro got 18 markers, but committed three of his six turnovers in the final two minutes of the game.
The scores:
EAC 88 – Onwubere 28, Garcia 16, Diego 11, Tampoc 11, Munsayac 9, I. Mendoza 7, Bugarin 2, Guzman 2, Pascua 2, Corilla 0, J. Mendoza 0, Neri 0.
JRU 84 – Mendoza 22, Teodoro 18, Grospe 15, Bordon 12, Poutouochi 6, Abdul Razak 4, Dela Virgen 3, Lasquety 2, Sawat 2, David 0
Quarters: 24-22, 36-39, 57-61, 88-84.