ARELLANO needed not only to win the game, but to win by four points to clinch twice-to-beat in Group A in the NCAA Season 101.
Mission accomplished.
The Chiefs completed an amazing turn around in the final stretch of the tournament by taking a heartstopping 62-58 win over the Mapua Cardinals on Friday at the Playtime Filoil Center in San Juan.
Renzo Abiera drained the go-ahead three-pointer while T-Mc Ongotan converted the twice-to-beat sealing free throws to assure that the Chiefs will be heading to the crossover quarterfinals with the playoff incentive against the Letran Knights next Wednesday
Both teams closed out the group stage with a 7-6 record, but the Chiefs who would go on and claim the incentive with the four point win, as it got a +1 in the head-to-head point differential between them.
The Cardinals beat the Chiefs 90-87 in their first meeting.
"God is good all the time. Thankful ako kay Enzo, without the three points na yun [hindi posible to]. Kasi nakita natin last game, medyo nag-struggle siya. Sabi ko lang sa kanya, take your shot and be yourself at bumawi ka sa Mapua," Arellano coach Chico Manabat said.
"Nag-peak kami e, it's right timing. Sa mga bata na yan e and with the combination of the coaches, from the preparation, lahat chineck namin."
READ: NCAA SCENARIOS: 1-seed, twice-to-beat still up for grabs in Group A
It was an amazing turn around for the Chiefs, a team who, with four games remaining in the season, looked like it would be competing to get out of a play-in match - not for the twice-to-beat advantage.
But a late surge from the Chiefs led by the duo of Ongotan and Abiera kept Arellano within striking distance of the incentive - an opportunity they took advantage of in that thriller of a game against the defending champions.
And in the final game of the season against the Cardinals, the Chiefs needed to dig themselves out of a hole once more as the hosts scored the first nine points of the payoff period to take a 54-45 lead with 6:45 remaining in the game.
The character of the Chiefs, however, was on full display as they finished the game on a 17-4 run spearheaded by the usual suspects in Ongotan and Abiera to steal not only the win, but the playoff incentive.
Abiera's three with 1:04 left in the game pushed the Chiefs ahead, 60-58, and under normal circumstances - this would've been enough for Arellano to hold on.
But the needed another two points to clinch the twice-to-beat advantage, points which almost never came as Ongotan was shackled and the Chiefs were called for a 24-second shot clock violation with 15 seconds remaining in the ball game.
Ongotan, however, made up for it on the other end as he forced a steal on Yam Concepcion and was fouled on the fastbreak attempt which set the stage for his twice-to-beat sealing free throws.
Cy Cuenco had one final shot to trim the lead to two, which would've given the Cardinals the incentive even with the loss but it went long.
Ongotan finished with 15 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists while Abiera added 12 points and seven rebounds -- finding his touch just in time after hitting both of his three-pointers in the final 3:12 of the game.
Drex Delos Reyes led Mapua with 13 points and 10 rebounds but no other player from the Cardinals breached double-digits with JC Recto and Cyril Gonzales adding nine apiece.
With the loss, the Cardinals' title defense will have to go through the St. Benilde Blazers in the quarterfinals, needing to win twice against the same team they swept in the finals last season also this Wednesday.
Mapua's loss also assured Perpetual of the top seed in Group A, with the Altas awaiting the winner of the JRU - EAC play-in match this Tuesday.
The scores:
ARELLANO 62 – Ongotan 15, Abiera 12, Geronimo 10, Valencia 8, Libang 4, Hernal 4, Demetria 4, Buenaventura 3, Vinoya 2, Borromeo 0, Camay 0, Langit 0, Cabotaje 0, Acop 0
MAPÚA 58 – Delos Reyes 13, Gonzales 9, Recto 9, Cuenco 7, Sapasap 6, Concepcion 5, Escamis 4, Nitura 3, Igliane 2, Lazarte 0, Ryan 0, Callangan 0
Quarters: 14-20, 25-33, 45-45, 62-58
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