Jr Archers turn back Bullpups

MANILA, Philippines - De La Salle-Zobel built a 14-point cushion then survived a horrible four-point output in the fourth quarter to beat National University, 57-54, and advance in the stepladder phase of the UAAP Season 73 juniors basketball tournament at The Arena yesterday.

Gabriel Reyes (17 points, 11 rebounds and four assists) and Glen Capacio (12 markers and two assists) spearheaded the assault for the fourth-ranked Junior Archers who moved to another do-or-die game against No. 2 University of Santo Tomas on Saturday.

The Tiger Cubs enjoy twice-to-beat advantage in that matchup, the winner of which will earn the right to face defending champion Ateneo in the finals.

Reyes and Capacio hit two triples each as the Junior Archers made a 17-4 run that gave them a 53-39 lead at the end of the third. They kept a 55-41 bulge early in the payoff period.

But the No. 3 Bullpups, behind Roque Estoce and Jonel Parungao, countered with a big run to close in at 54-55, 2:18 left.

But the two teams sputtered with their offensive thrusts in the stretch with La Salle managing to score a pair of split free throws in the final 1:58 to escape with the win. They scored only four points the entire fourth quarter.

“I think they got too complacent and NU made a change in defense that we didn’t expect . But fortunately, we had a big lead and the boys stuck it out in the end,” said DLSZ coach Boris Aldeguer, whose wards had to beat FEU-FERN in a playoff match over weekend, 66-60, to get the last berth in the stepladder phase.

DLSZ also got eight points from Joseph Tempongko and 11 rebounds from Julio Roxas.

Estoce took scoring honors with 17 points for NU, which blew a chance to finish No. 2 in the elims after bowing to the Tiger Cubs, 58-65, in a rubbermatch over the weekend.