The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles leaned on a furious endgame kick to defeat the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers, 65-63, and force a deciding Game Three in the best-of-three finals in the SM-National Basketball Training Center Cebu Tournament yesterday at the jam-packed Minglanilla Sports Complex.
The Magis Eagles dropped Game 1, 80-82, and their six-year reign were in dire straits as they blew a 14-point lead and faced a 58-61 deficit after a putback by Joshua Yerro, with 3:47 to go in the game. But the battle-tested Eagles composed themselves and tied the game after a free-throw by Jeremy Nacua and a steal and an unmolested lay-in by Patrick Yu.
Ateneo de Cebu then regained the lead, 65-61, off a left-handed hook shot by Errol Pastor and then, a lay-in by Christian Manaytay that came after Pastor disrupted UV’s possession.
Yerro once again pulled the Baby Lancers to within two after lay-up off a hard drive down the middle. Several plays later, UV had a clean shot to tie or win the game after Ateneo de Cebu’s Andrew Velasco flubbed a midrange attempt and Jancork Cabahug rebounded the ball.
But Baby Lancer guard Jim Amistoso could not get a clean handle on the ball as he was bringing it up the floor, and Yu took the opportunity to swipe it away as time expired to preserve the Magis Eagles’ win.
Pastor led the Eagles in scoring with 11 while Yu, Velasco and Nacua each had nine. UV got 18 from Cabahug and 16 from JJ Rosete.
Game Three is set next weekend at a yet-to-be-announced venue.