MANILA, Philippines - Saint Clare College of Caloocan hung tough in the clutch to edge erstwhile unbeaten Centro Escolar University, 70-68, in Game One of the 13th National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) basketball finals at the Makati Coliseum Wednesday.
The defending champion Saints nearly blew a 10-point lead late in the third and cashed in on the endgame breaks to pound out the victory and move within a win of wrapping up their best-of-three title series.
The win also snapped the Scorpions’ impressive 11-game run.
The Saints built a 57-47 lead late in the third period but the Scorpions scored 14 of the next 18 points behind Joseph Sedurifa and Aaron Jeruta to force a 61-all count.
But the Saints held on and clung to a 69-68 lead with 1:38 left to play. CEU missed grabbing the lead as Rodriguez Ebondo cracked under pressure and flubbed two charities off a Bong Managuelod foul.
But the Saints missed on their possession although Alvin Abundo also muffed a running shot from just outside the free throw stripe with Jayson Ibay grabbing the defensive rebound and drawing a foul from Jason Opiso.