Allen Vergara buried a clutch three-pointer in the dying seconds as Olivarez College pulled off a thrilling 79-74 victory over Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas to capture the University and Colleges Athletic League-PGFLEX Season 7 championship, Thursday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
In a game marked by numerous lead changes and scoring runs, Vergara delivered when it mattered most, confidently draining a cold-blooded step-back triple to give Olivarez a 78-74 cushion with 16.1 seconds remaining.
But his heroics didn’t stop there.
The high-flying guard soared for a crucial rebound on PCU’s final possession, denying the Dolphins a chance to answer back.
Patrick Panelo then iced the game with a free throw, sealing the win and ending Olivarez College’s string of heartbreaks and missed opportunities in their previous title campaigns.
(C) UCAL
“Seven seasons, apat na taon kong niligawan, busted ako. So ngayon, sa wakas, kinasal din kami nito,” said Olivarez head coach Myk Saguiguit, who kissed the championship trophy in pure relief after finally breaking the school’s streak of four runner-up finishes in the first six seasons.
Panelo, the Game 2 hero who forced a rubber match in the finals, was named Finals MVP after registering a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds along with four steals.
Vergara contributed 14 points, five rebounds, and six assists, while Hakim Njiasse and Rodel Renon also posted double-doubles.
Njiasse tallied 21 points and 19 rebounds, while Renon chipped in 10 points and 10 boards.
“Yung team ko, lahat sila gumawa niyan, trumabaho niyan. At ang pinaka-importante sa lahat, ang nag-orchestrate — yung coach namin sa itaas,” said Saguiguit.
“On that Game 2, miracle shot. Sabi sa amin, ‘di pa kami tapos. May Thursday pa kayo.’ So sabi ko sa kanila, ‘Naniniwala ba kayo sa destiny?’ Ang kaso, sa destiny, tinatrabaho ‘yan. So ngayon, ginawa nila lahat,” he added.
Joshua Dino and John Carl Catayong led the Dolphins with 14 points apiece.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, PCU-Dasmariñas still marked its best finish since joining the league in 2018.
