Altas, Dolphins forge title clash

Perpetual Help leaned on Marcel Cuenco’s gutsy stand and watched San Beda fumble a game-tying play in the dying seconds for a 58-56 victory and Philippine Christian U drew the best from Rob Sanz in a dramatic comeback in overtime to edge Letran, 85-80, as the two teams advanced to the finals of the 80th NCAA basketball tournament at the jampacked Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Altas and the Dolphins, who came into the semis with twice-to-beat advantage, thus forged a showdown for this year’s crown with Game One of the best-of-three series set tomorrow.

Sanz, who bucked leg cramps, provided the offensive muscle and the leadership for the Dolphins reduced to a rag-tag team in the end, firing 10 of his 19 points as PCU made it to the championship round for the first time in eight years.

"Masaya kasi first time nga namin na makapasok sa finals," said PCU coach Loreto "Ato" Tolentino.

The Dophins rode through the breaks and bad calls and menacing outburst from Tolentino himself with the game being halted with 4.06 remaining in the match when Jason Castro was called for an offensive foul. That triggered a debris-pelting incident.

From there, it looked like the Knights have taken control at 68-65 with Dolphins main men Gabriel Espinas and Castro fouling out and Ian Garrido and Sanz hobbled by injuries and cramps.

But the Dolphins refused to crack up behind their gutsy shock troopers and then Sanz took over by scoring 10 points in extra period to dethrone the Knights.

Ronjay Enrile, back after a one-game suspension, struggled for only 12 points on a nightmarish two-of-17 clip while missing two crucial foul shots in regulation that would have turned things around.

Cuenco, a player noted more for his defense than his offense, made the Lions pay for their sloppy defense as he drilled half of his 20 points in the fourth quarter that keyed the Altas’ their first stint in the finals since the Bong Hawkins-led team made it 15 years ago.

"Nakita ko lang na wala masyadong bumabantay sa akin kaya pag-libre ako, ako na tumitira," said the 23-year-old San Miguel Betis, Pampanga native who is a first cousin of the late former PBA cager Rey Cuenco.

Indeed, San Beda found a way to contain Perpetual Help’s top three scorers – Dom Javier, Fritz Bauzon and Vladimir Joe—to just a combined 16 points but forgot about the 6-foot-3 Cuenco, who frolicked inside, particularly in the fourth quarter.

"It’s all about heart," said Perpetual Help coach Arturo "Bai" Cristobal, who is back in the finals after leading the San Sebastian Stags to the last two of a five-peat in 1996 and 1997.

"And Marcel played with the biggest heart by making the biggest plays in this game," he added.

Cuenco’s biggest moment came when he scored seven straight points to turn a 49-53 deficit midway in the final period to a 56-53 lead with over two minutes remaining.

Yousif Aljamal buried a surprise triple to knot the count at 56-all but a free throw each by Joe, back in action after a one-game suspension, and Cuenco gave the Altas a two-point cushion to sit on with 12 seconds to go.

San Beda, which last made it to the finals seven seasons back and last won a crown 26 years ago, had two chances of forcing overtime but Arjun Cordero flubbed a wide-open lay-up.

Jerome Paterno tried to tip it in but also missed before Cuenco collared the rebound, sending the Altas and their throngs of fans into frenzy.