THE CLAIRE DELFIN Media-backed 1993 Dragons snatched victory from the jaws of defeat as they pulled out all the stops at crunch time to turn back the feisty 1988 Mighty Geeks, 74-73, in the semifinals of Division 1 in the University of San Carlos North Alumni Basketball Conference on Sunday at the USC North Campus gym along Mango Avenue.
With their backs against the wall and facing a 70-73 deficit, the Dragons got a break when the Mighty Geeks’ normally-unflappable Edmund Odulio missed two free throws that would have pushed their cushion to five. Batch 1993 then seized the opportunity and pulled to within a candlestick, 72-73, after two free throws from lefty bigman Bong Eleazar.
Then after a solid defensive stand that denied Batch 1988 a clean look at the basket, the men from Batch 1993 grabbed the upper hand, 74-73, off a mid-range jumper from the keyhole by Harold Toledo, time down to nine seconds. With no time-outs left, the Mighty Geeks scrambled to get a good shot off but failed, giving the Dragons the victory and a berth in the finals for the second year in a row.
Eleazar paced Batch 1993 with 24 while rock-steady forward Roy Jumao-as had 20. The loss spoiled the offensive show of Odulio who led Batch 1988 in scoring with a whopping 36 points. Dindo Sausa pitched in 20.
Waiting in the finals for the Dragons will be their old nemesis, the reigning champions 1985 Legends which essayed a dominant 89-59 win over the 1990 Titans. After missing the quarterfinals, former pro Lou Regidor was back in harness and scored 32. Bing Pua was his normal efficient self with 21. The Legends have an axe to grind against the Dragons after the latter handed the former their only loss in the season.
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