USC downs NU in PCCL thriller

CEBU, Philippines – Reigning Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. champions University of San Carlos Warriors drew bigtime plays from Shooster Olago and Ian Tagapan as they courageously rallied from seven points down late in the final period on the way to pull off a 73-72 cliffhanger over the National University Bulldogs and keep their title hopes alive in the 2015 PCCL National Collegiate Championship yesterday at the Faith Gym in Tanuan City, Batangas.

Olago, USC's prized recruit from Cameroon who takes pride for being the first foreign player to win an MVP award in Cebu's premiere inter-school athletic league, unloaded a game-high 22 points laced with seven rebounds and four blocks in stellar showing spotlighted by a 19-foot jumper that struck like dagger in the hearts of the Bulldogs.

Trailing 68-61,with only 1:30 left to play, the Warriors staged a spectacular comeback anchored on Olago's five-point blitz that pulled them within just two points, 66-68, with only 49 seconds left in the contest.

After Jayjay Alejandro made it 70-66 for the Bulldogs, USC's Tagapan stole the show when he knocked in a crucial triple aside from fishing out a foul for a chance to knot the count with only six seconds to go. He missed his gift shot, but lady fortune still smiled at the Warriors as a double lane violation gave them the ball possession.

In their final play, Olago quickly hurdled a long jumper after receiving an inbound pass. The crowd watched with bated breath as the ball bounced first before it rolled gently through the rim, causing the Warriors to leap for joy knowing that the live and fight for another day in the Elite Eight knockout battle that offers a whopping P1 million to the champion and the bragging rights as the country's best college team.

The Warriors still have a mountain to climb though as they will face next the University of Sto. Tomas Growling Tigers at The Arena in San Juan City today at 4 p.m.

It was not all jubilation though for the Cebu teams as the University of the Visayas Green Lancers suffered their earliest exit in the league's 12-year history after dropping a 53-59 decision to the Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP) Engineers in the first game.

It was a sorry loss for the Lancers coach Gary Cortes, who qualified to the Elite Eight after topping the Vis-Min Zonal staged in Ormoc City, as they dictated the pace of the match for most of the way only to melt down and suffer a huge collapse when it mattered.

Down by just a hairline at halftime, 30-31, the Lancers fought back with savvy behind the hot hands of Leonard Santillan to regain a 45-40 lead after three quarters. The last time they were in control was at 47-42 on a basket by June Kent Manzo early in the fourth period as TIP literally engineered a daring endgame assault to stun the Cebuano visitors.

After the Engineers climbed back on top, 52-50, anchored on a 10-3 blitz underneath the final two-minute mark of the contest, the Lancers had several chances to tie the count or even seize the lead but Cameroonian import Steve Cedrick Akomo missed a medium-range jumper and moments later Franz Arong botched a wide-open 3-pointer.

As they struggled in crucial plays, the Lancers was dealt with another blow when TIP scored on a booming triple for a 55-50 edge with only 40 seconds remaining.

Still, the Lancers put up one big fight and threatened at 53-55 on a triple by Alfred Codilla with only 28 ticks to go, but their comeback hopes was shattered when Vincent Mendoza committed an ill-advised foul against Nino Ibañez at the final 18.4 seconds. Ibañez calmly sank his free throws that turned out to be the insurance points for the Engineers.

In the ensuing sequence, Manzo, either pressured or unmindful of the time remaining, dribbled the ball around before making a late pass to Mendoza, who then flicked a hurried shot from beyond the arc that just bounced off the rim, spelling further UV's doom.

Bronze medallist last year, the Lancers had never been knocked out in the first round of the tournament since its inception in 2003. They still own though the best finish by the Cebu team when they advanced to the finals, albeit for a losing cause against the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 54-71, in 2007. (FREEMAN)