Letran Knights’ Deo Cuajao.–NCAA PHOTO
Jose Rizal University resurrected its Final Four hopes in Season 100 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament on Saturday after turning back Letran, 90-86, behind a brilliant defensive effort on one of the league’s most prolific scorers.
The Heavy Bombers didn’t let sniper Deo Cuajao frolic from beyond and basically let Jimboy Estrada bleed for his points, as Jose Rizal snapped a four-game slide to claim a fourth-place tie with its victim at 7-7.
“I told our players that it’s better for us to come together in this game. We’re fighting for our lives right now, and we have to play strong regardless of who we face,’’ said Jose Rizal coach Louie Gonzales, as he gave his Bombers the proper mindset before they faced the Knights’ prolific duo.
“We came to this game facing a big adversity and good thing the players responded,’’ said Gonzales.
Estrada was outstanding for the second straight game for Letran, winding up with 29 points, just a point shy of his career high in a recent victory over the San Sebastian Stags.
But he basically fell into a trap that Gonzales set up, which made sure that Estrada would be fagged out.
“He’s (Estrada) been playing extended minutes. We want to bring him where he will work more, and that’s exactly what we did,’’ said Gonzales.
Starved to 13
Cuajao, meanwhile, finished with just 13 points, an output that came on the heels of a 34-point performance in a win against San Sebastian College.
“It’s our composure in the end that played out today. We just stuck to the defensive plan,’’ said Gonzales.
The tenacious fight at the lower rung of the standings hasn’t slowed one bit, as University of Perpetual Help Dalta survived Lyceum in overtime, 89-83, in the other match.
The Altas pulled down the Pirates to fifth spot at 6-7 while climbing one notch up to seventh place with their sixth victory in 14 outings.
JP Boral waxed hot in the first half, pouring 15 of his 18 points highlighted by four threes, but his fellow Altas Jearico Nunez, Christian Pagaran and Mark Gojo Cruz proved instrumental in the extension period. INQ