Valenzona steered the Stags to a huge fourth quarter run to turn back upset-conscious Philippine Christian University Dolphins, 74-65, for its first win in the 80th NCAA basketball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Last year’s MVP Leo Najorda came back from a pair of so-so efforts with a 21-point performance. His biggest moment came in the fourth quarter when he erupted for nine points including a triple in a closing 11-4 attack that sealed the Stags’ first win in three outings.
"Masakit syempre ang matalo ka ng dalawang sunod sa unang dalawang games nyo lalo na pag-dati kang champion at pumangalawa ka pa last year," said Valenzona, who led the Mendiola-based school to an unprecedented five-peat in the 90s.
"Kaya masaya ako ngayon dahil hindi hinayaan ng mga bata na matalo kami ng dalawang sunod," he added.
And it took the Stags a Najorda explosion and a solid interior defense to take the fight out of the Loreto Tolentino-mentored Dolphins.
Trailing 54-55 with less than seven minutes to go, Najorda spearheaded a blistering attack while helping his teammates clamp down on PCU’s big men inside in a zone defense that Valenzona has taken pride of.
In the other game, defending champion Letran unloaded a telling bomb in the second quarter as it toyed with Jose Rizal, 62-45, to seize solo second spot with a 3-1 slate and move closer to unbeaten Mapua (3-0).
It was the Bombers’ third straight defeat against a setback.