GREG Cunanan buried the game-winning three as Lyceum earned its payback against reigning men’s basketball champion San Beda, 64-62, on Tuesday in the NCAA Season 100 at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.
With scoring leader Anton Barba struggling from the field, Cunanan took over for the Pirates late in the game and sank back-to-back baskets from long distance, including the dagger shot with eight seconds to go.
With no timeouts left, the Red Lions went on blitz mode, only for Brian Sajonia to lose the ball and miss the chance at sending the game into overtime.
'That's guts'
“That’s guts,” said Lyceum coach Gilbert Malabanan of Cunanan’s two three-pointers in the final 29 seconds.
“He’s my leader, he’s my captian ball. I told him this is your team. It’s your responsilbiity kung ano mangyari diyan sa team.”
Cunanan, who was 0-of-6 from beyond the arc until draining those two back-breaking treys, did carry the team to its second straight win in the second round as the Pirates barged into the upper half of the standings with a 6-5 record in a tie with Letran for fourth place.
The Pirates also avenged their 79-63 loss to the Red Lions in the season opener despite Barba being held to just four points on 0-of-11 shooting from the field.
Gyle Montano took the scoring load for Lyceum to make up for the shooting woes of Barba with 12 points, while Cunanan finished 2-of-8 from three-point range for 11 points.
JM Bravo continued to contribute for the Pirates in his second game back from a spine injury with nine points and seven rebounds.
“Yung game plan ng San Beda kasi nakatutok kay Ato. E, nakikita ko laging may puwang kapag pinapasa sa akin ni Ato kaya tinira ko na,” said Cunanan.
The loss snapped the Red Lions’ four-game winning run. They fell to a 7-4 record.
Zachary Estacio engaged Cunanan in a shootout in the final minute, draining a three pointer to give San Beda a 60-58 lead before the Lyceum team captain answered with his own from the same distance to make it 61-60.
Estacio wasn’t through yet. Coming off a timeout, the defending champion went to him and again, and the former De La Salle guard answered the call with a midrange jumper as the Red Lions took the lead for the last time at 62-61.
The scores:
Lyceum (64) - Montaño 12, Cunanan 11, Bravo 9, Daileg 7, Villegas 6, Aviles 5, Barba 4, Peñafiel 4, Panelo 2, Versoza 2, Gordon 2, Moralejo 0, Pallingayan 0.
San Beda (62) - Lina 12, Andrada 11, Puno 10, Sajonia 8, Estacio 8, Payosing 6, Tagle 5, Songcuya 2, Gonzales 0, Celzo 0, RC Calimag 0, Royo 0.
Quarterscores: 12-20; 31-32; 44-44; 64-62.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
