Bombers drop Altas in OT, seal no. 3 seed

MANILA, Philippines -- Jose Rizal went to Bernabe Teodoro late in regulation and in overtime as it turned back Perpetual Help, 82-79, Friday, to clinch the No. 3 seeding in the Final Four of the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

Teodoro paced his team with 16 points including seven bridging the final 21.7 seconds of regulation and overtime. He tied the game at 73-all that forced the overtime where he poured in five including a go-ahead triple that sealed it for the Bombers.

"We just want to get this win for us to have confidence going into the Final Four," said Jose Rizal coach Vergel Meneses.

It was the Kalentong-based dribblers' third win over the Altas this season and fifth overall this year counting the pair of wins in a Filoil-Flying V-sponsored pre-season tournament last summer.

And Perpetual Help nearly ended its losing skein to Jose Rizal.

A pair of triples by Earl Scottie Thompson and Juneric Baloria and a step-back jumper by Baloria transformed a 65-69 deficit to a 73-71 lead for Perpetual Help with 1.13 minutes left in regulation.
Enter Teodoro.

"I just want the ball in his hands in the crucial stretches of the game because I want him to get used to these critical moments," said Meneses on the 21-year-old Teodoro, a prize find from Fatima.

The Altas had a chance to tie the game again and force a second OT but Baloria misfired on a desperation triple and Jose Rizal's Abdul Razak Abdul Wahab of Cameroon skied for the rebound to seal it.

There was some anxious moments in the dying seconds in regulation when one of the three referees called a foul on Thompson in a wild scramble for the loose ball against Anthony Benavidez.

Game officials reviewed the call and found there was indeed a foul but the referee who whistled it was late in making the call, thus forcing OT.

Then Jose Rizal dominated from there.

Justine Alano led the Altas with 19 points while pro-bound Harold Arboleda and Baloria chipped in 17 and 16, respectively.

Jose Rizal was also successful in shutting down Thompson, the MVP statistical race leader who was held to just five points, nine boards and five assists that hastened Perpetual Help's downfall.

The Scores:

JRU (82) -- Teodoro 16, Paniamogan 15, Abdulwahab 11, Benavides 9, Balagtas 8, Mabulac 8, Sanchez 4, Asuncion 4, Astilla 2, Grospe 2, Manuel 2, Lasquety 1.

UPHSD (79) -- Alano 19, Arboleda 17, Baloria 16, Dagangon 10, Gallardo 8, Thompson 5, Oliveria 4, Dizon 0, Ylagan 0, Tamayo 0, Bantayan 0, Lucente 0, Jolangcob 0.

Quarters: 16-12, 34-32, 50-55, 73-73 (reg), 82-79 (OT).