Pradas triple fans Bombers slim hopes

Mark Pradas buried a triple with two seconds to go as Jose Rizal shocked Philippine Christian U, 65-63, yesterday to keep its flickering Final Four hopes alive in the 82nd NCAA basketball tournament.

Mark Cagoco slashed through the PCU defense with the game clock winding down, then dished off the pass to Pradas, a rookie transferee from the University of the East, who flicked the game-winner that gave the Bombers what was only their third win in 11 games.

It was also Cagoco, in a team-up with Floyd Dedicatoria, who starred in the big JRU comeback in the last two minutes that saw the Bombers erase a five-point deficit and grab a 62-60 lead.

Cagoco finished with 18 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, while Dedicatoria tossed in 16 points he spiked with 10 rebounds, five steals, three assists and three shot blocks.

But for Jose Rizal to barge into the semis, the Bombers would need to sweep their remaining three games against Perpetual Help, San Sebastian and St. Benilde and hope fourth-running Mapua would post no more than seven wins.

"It’s not in our hands but we’re holding on that slim chance, nothing is impossible," said Jose Rizal coach Ariel Vanguardia.

Mapua, meanwhile, demolished St. Benilde, 60-42, in the second game to close in on the last Final Four berth with a 6-5 (win-loss) slate.

The Dolphins were in control almost all throughout, leading by 10 points twice in the first half, sitting on an eight-point cushion in the final quarter, 56-48, and holding to a 60-55 lead 1.45 minutes left in the contest.

But Jose Rizal, which last made the Final Four five years ago, fought back with a triple and a basket by Cagoco before Dedicatoria scored on a layup to snatch a 62-60 lead for the Bombers, 21 seconds left in the game.

The Dolphins regained a 63-62 lead on a triple by Derryl Santos 10 seconds later but Cagoco and Pradas came through with that two-man game at the buzzer.

The Dolphins took their third loss in 11 outings.

It was the Blazers’ 10th defeat against a triumph.