SOME games go to overtime, a few go to double, and a triple-overtime seldom happens.
But quadruple-overtime game? That's as rare as rare comes.
The last time the PBA had a 3OT was Jan 17, 2024 when Meralco topped Phoenix, 116-107, in the Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals.
University of Santo Tomas and Ateneo also fought through three extra periods last Oct. 11, 2025, resulting to a 98-89 victory for the Growling Tigers in the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament.
And in the NCAA, Perpetual outlasted San Beda, 88-85, in a triple-overtime classic last Oct. 29, 2025 in their Season 101 joust.
Saturday, however, saw 4OT happen in Game Two of the Philippine Ching Yuen Athletic Association Season 13 Finals.
For 60 minutes of gametime, MGC-New Life Christian Academy and Pace Academy fought tooth and nail at Uno High School, as both teams refused to give an inch.
In the end, the New Lifers prevailed, taking the exhausting 110-107 victory to complete their run of perfection and in the process, wrap up the three-peat.
How 4OT came to be
But it almost didn't come to be, especially after MGC-NLCA lost steam and squandered a 17-point first half lead and saw top gun Adam Keith Uy foul out midway in the first overtime period.
The Pacers, however, also could not get the job done in that first extension, losing grip of a nine-point lead, 83-74, with 2:18 remaining, as Riley Hui would once again tie the game at 83 with a minute left.
That see-saw battle continued with Lucas Lo and Jego Tan both failing to claim the win for the New Lifers in the second and third overtimes, respectively.
Lo, though, made sure he won't miss his shot the next time out, draining the go-ahead pullup jumper with 25.7 seconds to play.
Mitchell Quinn Go could not respond for Pace, as Jacoby Tan extended the MGC-NLCA lead to three with 4.4 ticks to go.
Pace had one last shot to force an unprecedented fifth OT, but Enzo Sosuan's late gasp trey just fell short as time expired.
Hui led the New Lifers with 31 points from eight treys en route to being named Finals MVP. Adrian Steven Tan added a monster 22-point, 20-rebound performance, while Uy got 20 and nine before fouling out.
Kenneth Chen led Pace with 33 points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort, as it failed to force the winner-take-all Game 3.
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