On November 27, both Lyceum of the Philippines University and Jose Rizal University bid farewell to their hopes of a deep playoff run in the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament after being eliminated at the Mall of Asia Arena.
JRU Heavy Bombers Ran Out of Spark
To begin the Thursday ball game, the JRU Heavy Bombers were playing the #1 team in Group A, the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.
The Altas have a twice-to-beat advantage against the Heavy Bombers.
The Patrick Sleat-led Altas wasted no time asserting control, opening the quarterfinal showdown with Jose Rizal University by blasting ahead 9–0 in under two minutes and later stretching the margin to 22–6 on a triple from Shawn Orgo.
JRU managed to halt the surge by closing the first quarter with a 10–0 counter that trimmed the deficit to 22–16, but Perpetual quickly rebuilt a double-digit cushion at 35–25 through the efforts of Mark Gojo Cruz.
The Heavy Bombers refused to fold, responding with an 8–0 run highlighted by an Allen Laurenaria free throw to get within 35–33 late in the second period. Perpetual maintained a slim edge at the break, 41–37, before both squads traded early baskets in the third. The game reached its first deadlock at 43-all on a score from Justin Lozano.
What followed, however, broke the game wide open. Perpetual exploded for a decisive 16–0 run, nine of those points coming from Gojo Cruz, transforming a tie into a commanding 59–43 lead with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. The Altas carried a 63–51 advantage entering the final period.
JRU made one final push in the fourth, leaning on back-to-back triples from Sean Salvador and Yuri Duque to cut the deficit to 73–70 with under two minutes remaining. But Perpetual responded with poise: Patrick Sleat carved out a strong drive for a crucial basket, and Gojo Cruz added steady free throws to restore a multi-possession lead.
A brief JRU reprieve came via an Ivan Panapanaan layup that cut the margin to 79–74 in the final seconds, but two more free throws from Gojo Cruz finally shut the door as Perpetual sealed the victory and booked its semifinal berth.
FINAL SCORE: JRU HEAVY BOMBERS 81 – 74 PERPETUAL ALTAS
Gojo Cruz spearheaded the Altas with 23 points while shooting efficiently from distance, while Sleat turned in an outstanding all-around performance highlighted by 14 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and solid defensive reads. Orgo also chipped in double digits.
For JRU, Salvador scored 18 while Laurenaria delivered 16 points and 10 rebounds, though their efforts were ultimately not enough to extend the Heavy Bombers’ campaign.
With the win, Perpetual officially ended a four-year semifinal drought, last reaching the Final Four in Season 97. The Altas now await the survivor of the Letran–Arellano rubber match, with their semifinal outing scheduled for December 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.
As for JRU, their campaign under first-year head coach Nani Epondulan showed signs of renewed competitiveness, particularly in navigating a challenging Group B, but their season ultimately concluded against a more experienced Perpetual squad.
“Viva Pirata!” For John ‘Ato’ Barba and the rest of the Pirates
In potentially the last game of his college career, John “Ato” Barba from the LPU Pirates was ready to give it all against the #1 seed in Group A, San Beda University.
Despite facing a twice-to-beat disadvantage, the Pirates are confident entering this match that it’s still anybody’s ball game.
The Red Lions immediately seized control, jumping ahead 17-10 after the first quarter behind quick baskets from Bryan Sajonia. Their perimeter attack erupted early in the second period, sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from Janti Miller and another from Zedjay Etulle, stretching the lead to 29-15.
Lyceum briefly responded with an 11-1 surge capped by a finish from Genesis Aviles, trimming the deficit to 30-26, but San Beda weathered the push and held a 51-40 cushion by halftime, with Yukien Andrada, Miller, and Bismarck Lina all scoring in double digits before the break.
After the restart, the Red Lions completely broke the game open. A strong Miller sequence, including a three-point play, widened the gap to 69-46, and San Beda continued to dominate the boards while suffocating LPU defensively. By the end of the third period, the lead ballooned to 73-51, and the Pirates, who managed only 25 makes on 70 attempts, were unable to slow San Beda’s offensive rhythm.
The Red Lions kept pushing in the final quarter, converting second-chance points off their overwhelming rebounding advantage and knocking down threes to maintain control until the final buzzer.
FINAL SCORE: LPU PIRATES 67 – 91 SAN BEDA RED LIONS
Andrada led the charge with an efficient 20 points on six triples, along with three rebounds. Miller followed with 18 markers and six boards, while Lina posted an impressive 15-point, 13-rebound double-double in limited minutes. Sajonia also finished with 13, and Joe Celzo delivered key hustle plays on the glass.
San Beda’s 13-of-31 showing from beyond the arc and a massive 59-32 rebounding edge, which translated to 23 second-chance points, just proved too much for LPU to overcome.
