Stags stun UAAP champion Blue Eagles, clinch edge in PCCL finals
San Sebastian overhauled a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun reigning UAAP champion Ateneo, 70-69, in Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) on Tuesday at The Arena in San Juan City.
The win gave the Golden Stags, losing finalist to San Beda in the 87th NCAA, a twice-to-beat advantage in the finals of the PCCL National Collegiate Championship.
The Stags engineered a 17-4 run in the last six minutes of the game to beat the four-time UAAP champions and secure a finals seat after taking their second victory in the Final Four, a round-robin tournament to determine the finalist.
“This was an opportunity for the team to try our luck against the best collegiate squad in the country,” said San Sebastian coach Topex Robinson. “We valued every possession that is why we were able to come back in the game.
Calvin Abueva had 20 points and was instrumental in the Stags’ come-from-behind win. He scored San Sebastian’s final five points of a 13-0 run to take a slim 66-65 lead with one minute and 50 seconds left in the game.
Ateneo center Greg Slaughter tied the game with a split free throw on the next possession but Abueva dished off to Ian Sangalang, who buried the open jumper as San Sebastian took the lead for good.
Kirk Long made it a one point game, 70-69, with 6.2 seconds remaining. He buried a three-pointer but referees ruled out the buzzer sounded before he threw the ball.
JP Erram’s jumper, in the 6:06 mark of the fourth, gave Ateneo a 65-53 edge.
Meanwhile, San Beda arranged an all-important match against Ateneo after scoring an 83-77 decision over University of Cebu.
The Red Lions and Blue Eagles, the holders of the NCAA and UAAP titles, are expected to go all out on Friday with a finals seat against the Stags at stake.
Rome Dela Rosa scored 25 points to pace the shorthanded Red Lions, who played minus the injured Garvo Lanete and Jake Pascual.
Mar Villahermosa and Baser Amer added 15 and 14 markers for the Red Lions.
Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/240741/sports/campussports/stags-stun-uaap-champion-blue-eagles-clinch-edge-in-pccl-finals
