Perpetual Help needed three overtimes to whisk off Jose Rizal U, 79-77, and chalk up its first win in the other seniors contest.
George Allen came through with a buzzer-beating lay-up to finally end the game that looked headed for another extension.
Allen, a transferee from Philippine Christian U, was actually not supposed to play with an ankle injury he sustained against San Beda. But he volunteered late in second OT after three teammates – Harold Arboleda, Anthony Paulino and Justine Alano – fouled out one after the other.
He expectedly came in cold and made two glaring passing errors but quickly redeemed himself by coming up with a steal and sinking the game-winning shot off a pass by Jaycee Asuncion at the buzzer.
The victory snapped the Altas’ four straight losses.
“It’s a victory that we will cherish because this team has been through a lot, we really prepared hard and had a team building the last week,” said Perpetual Help coach Jimwel Gican.
It was the league’s first game that went through three extra periods since St. Benilde edged Arellano U, 117-107, on July 21, 2009. – Joey Villar