Jose Rizal University (JRU) outsmarted University of Perpertual Help System Dalta in overtime, 82-79, in overtime on Friday at The Arena in San Juan City to not only enter the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 90 seniors basketball Final Four with a three-game winning streak but with the third seed as well.

The Heavy Bombers played excellent ball movement and team ball in the fourth quarter, then rookie point guard Teytey Teodoro sank a crucial triple in overtime, to bail out JRU in the game.

“Perpetual Help plays good defense, especially man-to-man, so we played more passing game, more ball movement,” said long-time JRU head coach Vergel Meneses.

“I told them (the players) before the game that every game is a knockout game and that we’re not in a position to play a relaxed game,” he added.

The game was a nip-and-tuck one from the get-go, with the Heavy Bombers scoring on inside stabs from Marco Balagtas and Anthony Benavides while on the other hand, Altas’ forward Harold Arboleda waxed hot from the outside with four triples in the first half.

Perpetual’s triumvirate of Justin Alano, Juneric Baloria, and Gabriel Dagangon played full circle in the third quarter, scoring on easy baskets from the shaded lane and the free throw line in the third quarter for a 55-50 cushion coming into the fourth quarter.

JRU then mirrored Perpetual’s inside offense, with cutters Balagtas and Abdul Wahab Abdul Razak scoring on inside stabs.

Top scorer Philip Paniamogan likewise stepped up on defense, scoring on steals and layups as the Heavy Bombers surged to a 69-65 lead.

The Altas then regained the lead, 71-69, off back-to-back triples from Baloria and Scottie Thompson but two swished free throws from Abdul Wahab leveled the game at 71.

Baloria thereafter scored on a stop-and-pop but a driving floater by Teodoro tied the game anew at 73 with 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

The Altas could have won the game but Alano missed a point blank layup off a Thompson drive-and-dish to send the game into overtime.

A mini five-point run by the Heavy Bombers in overtime was the turning point in the game, with Teodoro hitting an uncontested corner trey while power forward Michael Mabulac sank a gutsy post up shot for an 80-75 lead.

Dagangon, however, was unfazed, scoring four unanswered points off an open jumper and two free throws but the rookie was overcome by jitters as he spoiled Arboleda’s steal off JRU’s inbound pass when he dipsy dooed a layup with eleven seconds left in overtime.

Paniamogan then sank two free throws off his recovery from Dagangon’s wild layup to seal the game.

Teodoro scored 16 points while Paniamogan added 15 points for the Final Four returnees.

Alano led the Altas, Final Four mainstays for the past three years, with 19 points and nine rebounds while Arboleda added 17 points and 14 boards.

On Wednesday, October 15 at the Mall of Asia Arena, the Heavy Bombers will face Number 2 seed Arellano University at 4:00 pm, while the Altas will face top-ranked San Beda College for the third straight year at 2:00 pm.