THE UNIVERSITY of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers faltered down the stretch and got beaten by the National University (NU) Bullpups, 87-83, in the battle-for-third place game in the the Philippine Secondary Schools Basketball Championship yesterday at the SGS Gym in Quezon City.
UV led 69-65 heading to the last canto but failed to sustain its momentum in crunchtime to head home with nothing to show in its weeklong stint in Manila.
Terrence Fortea led the Bullpups with 18 points while Miguel Oczon added 14.
Joshua Yerro had 21 points and pulled down 14 rebounds for UV, while JJ Rosete pitched in 14 points and eight rebounds.
The Baby Lancers led, 76-71, after a trifecta by Jancork Cabahug with 7:26 to go but NU retaliated with a 10-0 run capped by five straight points by Terrence Fortea to regain the lead, 81-76, 3:40 on the clock.
UV knotted the count at 83-all off two straight buckets from Yerro but then committed a foul on Rhayyan Amsali, who calmly sank two free throws to put NU in front, 83-81.
The Baby Lancers had two cracks at tying the game but jumpers from Roosevelt Jelliangao and Beirn Laurente were off, and Miguel Pangilinan sealed the win and third place honors for NU by making two free throws with six seconds to go.