ENOCH Valdez put Lyceum on his back and carried it to the NCAA Season 98 seniors basketball tournament Final Four with a 73-65 victory over San Sebastian on Sunday at Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The fourth-year forward unleashed a career-best 30 points, on top of 11 rebounds, three steals, and two assists to help the Pirates move up to 11-5.
"I'm so proud with the way he performed and yun lang yung kailangan doon, yung trust na binibigay namin sa kanila. Sila na ang bahalang gumawa sa loob," said coach Gilbert Malabanan of Valdez.
[COLUMN: NCAA Mancom drops the ball in Amores crisis]
The win enabled LPU to make it back to the semifinals after missing the postseason in Season 97.
The Golden Stags now find themselves on a precarious situation as they cannot afford to lose any more games with their 6-8 card if they want to make a Final Four charge.
San Sebastian also no longer has its fate in its hands as one more win for San Beda and St. Benilde can clinch them a Final Four seat.
JM Bravo unloaded 10 points, eight boards, three dimes, and two steals, hitting the huge three-pointers with 22.6 seconds left that all but sealed the victory, 71-63.
Renzo Navarro contributed seven points, six assists, five rebounds, and three steals, but was ejected with 4:37 to play after picking up two technical fouls.
The Pirates blew a 36-23 halftime edge as the Golden Stags staged a 23-2 barrage to seize a 46-38 lead at the 3:45 mark of the third frame.
San Sebastian, though, couldn't find any tonic for Valdez who scored 14 points in the payoff period, the last a big bucket that gave LPU a 68-60 advantage with 1:36 left.
Romel Calahat tried his best to respond for San Sebastian with 19 points, nine rebounds, and two assists, while Ichie Altamirano had 11 points, four boards, and four assists in the tough defeat.
The scores:
LPU 73 - Valdez 30, Bravo 10, Navarro 7, Barba 6, Umali 5, Guadana 4, Montano 4, Cunanan 3, Larupay 2, Villegas 2, Penafiel 0, Aviles 0, Omandac 0.
SAN SEBASTIAN 65 - Calahat 19, Altamirano 11, Yambing 8, Una 7, Villapando 6, Desoyo 6, Are 4, Suico 3, Sumoda 1, Escobido 0, Shanoda 0, Cosari 0.
Quarters: 18-8, 36-23, 49-49, 73-65.
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.
