Jose Rizal trips MIT, keeps bid for Final 4

Jose Rizal U leaned on the trio of Cris Dela Paz, Kevin Oliviera and Jerome Garcia as the Light Bombers trounced  the Mapua Red Robins, 83-78, yesterday and stay in the fight for the last Final Four berth in the juniors’ division of the 86th NCAA basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Dela Paz  poured 21 points while Oliveria and Garcia contributed 20 points apiece as the Light Bombers forged a three-way tie with the St. Benilde Junior Blazers and Letran Squires with similar 9-7 records. But the Bombers and the Squires wound up with the lowest quotient. JRU and Letran will play in a knockout game today with the winner playing St. Benilde for the last semifinal berth on Monday.     San Sebastian, which already clinched the No. 2 seed and a twice-to-beat bonus in the Final Four, stunned top seed San Beda, 76-75, in overtime.  Gino Juma-as unleashed a game-high 31-point effort that went with nine rebounds, five assists and four steals to lead the Staglets, who ended with a 12-4 card. The Cubs, who fell to only their second loss in 16 games, were led by MVP race pacesetter Baser Amer with 21 points, including 17 in the second half. The 5-foot-10 Amer also committed 13 turnovers, however.  San Beda will take on the winner among CSB, Letran and Jose Rizal while No. 2 San Sebastian battles the No. 3  Perpetual Help (10-6) needing just a victory to arrange a best-of-three title showdown.