San Sebastian College-Recoletos are now on the hill of making the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 89 seniors basketball Final Four, trouncing semis-bound University of Perpetual Help, 71-65, Saturday night at the San Juan Arena.
Journeyman guard Jamil Ortuoste went amok in the endgame by firing eight points in the last two minutes, including a three-pointer from 28 feet.
The streak shooter finished the game with 19 points off an efficient 6-of-8 shooting clip. His backcourt tandem, CJ Perez, flashed his brilliance the entire game with 23 points.
“We lose games with these two guys, we win games with these two,” said Golden Stags head coach Topex Robinson, whose team is assured of at least a playoff for the last semis slot, and at most, a third place finish if they win their next game against the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
Ortuoste started the game with guns ablaze, shooting three three-pointers to spark a 19-11 first quarter rampage for the Stags.
In the second and third quarters though, Altas forward Harold Arboleda charged to the basket with utmost tenacity, scoring 17 points in the middle quarters off a splendid 10-of-11 from the foul line.
Tied at 51 coming in the final canto, the Altas surged to a 7-0 run capped by a three-pointer by TJ Ylagan, but the Stags retaliated with driving layups from Jovit de la Cruz and Leo de Vera to tie the game at 63.
That marked the emergence of Ortuoste, known for the season as a steady fourth quarter scorer, who started his scoring spree with two free throws off a blocking foul from Arboleda.
He followed up with a pull-up jumper, the paralyzing long three-pointer in the 34.7 second mark, and a split from the foul line.
The Altas, playing without the injured Nick Omorogbe, finish the regular season with an 11-7 card and were led by Arboleda who scored 23 points.
The Stags’ win, their 10th in 17 games, in effect eliminated Arellano University (7-9). Their win also sent Emilio Aguinaldo College (9-8) to a full game behind them.
The Generals earlier won against Jose Rizal University (6-11), 78-68, with power forward Jolas Paguia scoring six crucial post-up points in the endgame.
The Taft-based team opened the game at 10-0 and, notwithstanding a third quarter scare from the Bombers, finished the game with a flourish after being up by only two, 66-64, midway in the fourth quarter.
“Super aggressive kami ngayon sa rebounding and that was our response sa depensa nila. Half ng game nag-sona ang JRU so ganun pag sona, di sila makapwesto sa ilalim kaya sinamantala namin iyon,” said Generals head coach Gerry Esplana, whose team hauled 25 offensive rebounds.
“Masaya ako dahil achievement na para sa amin ang nine wins at na-surpass namin ang record namin last year na eight wins. Hindi na naman iniisip ang Final Four kasi wala na sa kamay namin iyan, pero yung improvement namin this season, malaking bagay iyan sa amin,” he added.
For them to clinch a playoff for the last Final Four berth, the Generals have to win their final assignment against Mapua Institute of Technology on October and hope that San Sebastian will lose against Benilde on October 24.
Paguia tallied 11 points and 10 rebounds while Cedric Noube Happi led the Generls with 18 points and 15 rebounds.
The Heavy Bombers, who were playing without the absent Paolo Pontejos, were led by Michael Mabulac with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Philip Paniamogan with 14 points and four assists.
