NU Bullpups force winner-take-all game 3. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Miguel Oczon made a huge steal and a basket as National University foiled Ateneo’s sweep bid with a 70-67 win to send the UAAP Season 80 juniors basketball Finals into a Game 3 Tuesday at Filoil Flying V Centre.
Oczon had a good read on Jason Credo’s inbound pass intended for Dave Ildefonso, intercepting the ball and scoring the lay-up at the buzzer for the Bullpups to level the best-of-three series to one game apiece.
“I just did my best for the team,” said Oczon, who eventually finished with 17 points.
The Finals decider is set on Friday at San Juan Arena.
Rhayyan Amsali produced a double-double effort of 11 points and 13 rebounds while Michael Malonzo added 10 points for NU.
It was Malonzo’s lay-up that gave the Bullpups a 58-57 lead in the final 57 seconds.
“Mas disciplined ang defense namin,” said NU mentor Goldwin Monteverde.
Ildefonso led the Blue Eaglets with 14 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and two steals while Kai Sotto followed up his triple-double effort in the opener with 10 points, eight boards and five blocks.
SJ Belangel also had 10 points and pulled down four rebounds for Ateneo.
The loss snapped the Eaglets’ have 15-game winning streak.
Things went chippy at the 7:54 mark of third period when Cyril Gonzales was ejected for kicking Ateneo’s Allan Tañedo in the bench after the NU guard dived for the ball.
Tañedo, who hit Gonzales in the head that prompted the latter to retaliate, and Amchel Angeles, who shoved Gonzales during in the altercation, were initially tossed out of the game but the were reinstated by the referees.
The scores:
NU (70) – Oczon 17, Amsali 11, Malonzo 10, Javillonar 8, Manalang 7, Minerva 7, Fortea 4, Gonzales 3, Coyuca 3, Felisilda 0, Pangilinan 0.
Ateneo (67) – Ildefonso 14, Sotto 10, Belangel 10, Credo 7, Manuel 6, David 6, Escalona 5, Angeles 5, Chiu 4, Diaz 0.
Quarterscores: 21-21, 34-35, 47-48, 70-67