By: Brenn Allen Flores
Lyceum of the Philippines University secured its first win of NCAA Season 100 with a thrilling 97-92 victory over the winless Jose Rizal University, thanks to John Barba’s late-game heroics on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The Pirates found themselves trailing 63-72 at the start of the final frame, but they steadily chipped away at JRU’s lead. Barba’s clutch free throws tied the game at 92-all, setting up a tense finish.
With the game still tied at 92-all, Barba delivered the game’s biggest moment, draining a dagger three-pointer to give Lyceum a 95-92 advantage. JRU had one last chance to tie, but Joshua Guiab’s three-point attempt fell short.
Vincent Cunanan then iced the game with two free throws, sealing Lyceum’s first win of the season.
Barba was the star of the day, finishing with 28 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while shooting an impressive 5-of-7 from beyond the arc.
The Heavy Bombers controlled the first half, building a lead of as much as 13 points in the second quarter behind Jonathan Medina’s hot hand. Medina scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half, giving JRU a commanding advantage.
JRU continued to maintain momentum in the third quarter, with Shawn Argente and Patrick Ramos extending the lead to 72-62 entering the final period.
However, Lyceum’s resilience and deadly outside shooting proved to be the difference down the stretch.
Despite being outrebounded by JRU, 44-34, the Pirates capitalized on their three-point shooting, hitting 47.8% from long range to fuel their comeback.
Cunanan added 20 points and four assists, while Vincent Guadaña chipped in 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a balanced offensive effort.
For JRU, Medina’s scoring output slowed in the second half, but he still finished with a team-high 22 points on 75% shooting, along with six rebounds.
Guiab contributed 20 points and seven rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to prevent JRU from falling to their third straight defeat.
Lyceum will look to build on their momentum as they face Arellano University on Friday, Sept. 20, at 12:00 PM.
Meanwhile, the Heavy Bombers will seek their first win against San Sebastian College-Recoletos on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 2:30 PM.
The Scores:
Lyceum 97 – Barba 28, Cunanan 20, Guadaña 17, Peñafiel 9, Montaño 9, Daileg 5, Aviles 4, Moralejo 2, Gordon 1, Villegas 1, Panelo 1, Caduyac 0, Culanay 0
JRU 92 – Medina 22, Guiab 20, Argente 11, Ramos 9, Sarmiento 9, Barrera 9, Pangilinan 3, Bernardo 3, Ferrer 2, Mosqueda 2, Panapanaan 1, De Leon 1, Raymundo 0, Samontanes 0
Quarterscores: 28-32, 53-62, 61-72, 97-92
