Kurt Lojera. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Just when De La Salle looked to have lost it all, Kurt Lojera came in to save the day.
Lojera buried a clutch baseline jumper with 14.9 seconds left to lift La Salle over National University Wednesday in the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball tournament.
The transferee from Adamson University said making the game-winning shot boiled down to having confidence to take it.
“We do that every day in practice it’s just a matter of confidence in taking it,” said Lojera. “It just so happened I was open and Aljun (Melecio) made the pass.”
Lojera’s heroic act also gave the Green Archers their first win after dropping their season opener at the hands of the Ateneo Blue Eagles three days ago.
NU was down 80-66 midway through the fourth quarter before it staged a late 16-1 run capped by a Shaun Ildefonso triple for an 82-81 edge with 28.2 seconds left.
Fortunately for La Salle, Aljun Melecio found the open Lojera along the baseline for the clutch jumper.
“I think we deserved this one,” said Lojera, who had six points in 10 minutes of play. “We worked really hard for this, we go through every day in practice and what we do is well enough to know we deserve this win,”