Pirates beat Blazers in wild finish to complete NCAA Final Four

Lyceum Pirates celebrate their return to the Final Four after beating St. Benilde Blazers in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament. –NCAA PHOTO

The Lyceum Pirates survived their last obstacle by downing the St. Benilde Blazers for a quicker route back to the Final Four.

But coach Gilbert Malabanan knows for a fact they cannot advance to the championship with inconsistent play.

“We should definitely polish our defense going into the Final Four. It was clear when we led by 16 points and squandered it,’’ said Malabanan after the Pirates stunned the Blazers, 82-81, on Friday in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament at FilOil EcoOil Centre.

In control in the middle two quarters, the Pirates saw their advantage whittle down as the Blazers relentlessly fought back in the fourth.

“It was bad defense and miscommunication,” Malabanan said. “When that happens, confusion takes over. We really have to work on this.”

The Pirates, who closed out eliminations with a 10-8 record, completed the semifinal cast with the Blazers, who absorbed a second straight defeat and fell to 14-4 to be at No. 2 as the Mapua Cardinals (14-3) will stake top-ranking when they play ousted Arellano on Saturday.

The reigning champions San Beda Red Lions (10-7) are at No. 3 and could wind up as the Blazers’ Final Four foes if the Cards win over the Chiefs. In that scenario, Mapua will have a twice-to-beat advantage over the Pirates.

An upset by Arellano, though, will give the Blazers No. 1 ranking since Benilde will win a tiebreak with Mapua in case they tie.

Game-saving gem

Greg Cunanan foiled a potential game-winner by Gab Cometa as the Pirates made the semifinals for the third straight year.

Cometa pulled up near the paint with two seconds remaining, but Cunanan hurriedly swatted the shot before the Lyceum faithful cheered and the Pirates celebrated wildly on the floor.

Ato Barba exploded for 27 points, including going 5-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc, but the applause wasn’t entirely his following the crunch time heroics of Renz Villegas and Cunanan.

Engaged in a nail-biter with CSB, the cat-quick Villegas thwarted the Blazers from seizing control with a floater, a pair of free throws and a crucial layup off a Jhomel Ancheta passing error with 13.2 seconds left.

Liwag powered his way on the other end and got a foul on a possible three-point play, but flubbed the game-tying free throw.

After Cunanan foiled Cometa’s jumper, the Blazers had one more opportunity to extend the match with a fraction of a second left, only to falter after Liwag’s desperation attempt at the buzzer fell short.

“All my players are ready any time I put them on the court,’’ said Malabanan, whose victory extinguished the hopes of the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals to secure a historic Final Four showing.

King Gurtiza fired 18 points and Harvey Pagsanjan added 17 as the Generals defused the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, 73-66, in their final game of the season.

The Generals, with five graduating players led by Gurtiza and Pagsanjan, capped their season with a 9-9 record while sending the Heavy Bombers to last place at 4-14.