JP Boral hit a huge three pointer and Mark Gojo Cruz proved steady from the foul line down the stretch as Perpetual Help completed its comeback against Jose Rizal University, 86-82, in the NCAA Season 100 men's basketball tournament on Tuesday.
Boral broke a tight 78-78 game with a booming three to put the Altas ahead for good with 48 seconds remaining.
Then the rookie Gojo Cruz scored the Altas' final three points from the free throw line to put away the emotional game marred by the ejection of Heavy Bombers coach Louie Gonzales.
Boral finished with a game-high 22 points, John Abis added 15, and the duo of Gojo Cruz and Gelo Gelsano had 14 each for the Altas , who rallied back from a 21 point deficit.
Perpetual Help ended its campaign short of a Final Four stint with a 7-11 record in coach Olsen Racela's rookie season.
"Nakalagay sa (white) board namin we want to end the season the right way," said Racela.
"Although in the first half, all wrong things happened. Kaya nung halftime I challenged them, tinanong ko kung ito ba yung character ng team natin? And I think they responded by showing the true character of this team."
The victory was also a fitting sendoff for Christian Pagaran, who ended his stay with the Altas by finishing with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and four steals.
The Heavy Bombers led by as many as 21 points early in the third and 11 entering the final quarter, but slowly lost momentum entering the final two minutes.
Gonzales typified the Heavy Bombers' frustration when he entered the court with 12 seconds left and Jose Rizal down by just three while trying to stop Perpetual from using the game clock.
He contended the referees didn't call an immediate foul on Ivan Panapanaan against Gojo Cruz, denying his team a few seconds of the clock.
The veteran coach was assessed two straight technicals for outright ejection and had to be pacified by his assistants and players before being led to the dugout.
It's the second ejection of Gonzales for the season which could lead to another suspension and meant missing the Heavy Bombers' final game of the season on Friday against Emilio Aguinaldo College.
Shawn Argente led Jose Rizal (4-13) with 18 points including a three pointer for the team's final stand, 84-82, before Gojo Cruz connected on two free throws for the final count.
The scores:
Perpetual Help 86 – Boral 22, Abis 15, Gojo Cruz 14, Gelsano 14, Pagaran 11, Montemayor 5, Nuñez 3, Pizarro 2, Manuel 0, Cauguiran 0, Sevilla 0, Thompson 0.
Jose Rizal 82 – Argente 18, Guiab 17, Pangilinan 11, Raymundo 8, Sarmiento 8, Lozano 6, Samontanes 6, Barrera 4, Panapanaan 2, De Jesus 2, Ferrer 0, De Leon 0, Bernardo 0.
Quarters: 22-28; 39-56: 57-68,; 86-82.
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