Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 21) – Mark Nonoy flashed his late game scoring exploits to help the De La Salle University Green Archers survive the University of the East Red Warriors, 85-82, in the heart-stopping first overtime game of UAAP Season 84 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday.
The Green Archers improved their slate to 7-3, maintaining third place in the team standings. The Red Warriors remained winless at 0-10 and are virtually eliminated from Final Four contention.
After UE guard Clint Escamis tied the game at 78-all with an inside shot off a Kyle Paranada missed three-point attempt, Nonoy fired a difficult and well-contested midrange jumper from the right to break the deadlock with under a minute remaining in the game.
Escamis had a chance to tie the game at 80, but he missed his two free-throws in the last 42 seconds of the contest.
Off a timeout by coach Derrick Pumaren, La Salle made a quick offensive stop as they found an open Nonoy, who drilled a triple for an 83-78 lead in the remaining 23.8 seconds of the match.
The Red Warriors trimmed their deficit to just one, 82-83, with Harvey Pagsanjan sinking two lay-ups in the last 10.1 seconds of the tussle.
Pagsanjan – who finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds – made his second lay-up running from the left corner after the Green Archers brought the ball out of bounds in their prior inbound play, coming from the UE guard’s first inside shot.
Balti Baltazar – who tallied 14 points and 22 rebounds – sealed the game-winning two free throws for La Salle in the next possession as UE failed to complete an open three-point play in the dying seconds.
Nonoy made 11 points while Deschon Winston and Kurt Lojera led La Salle in scoring with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
Winston and Lojera were responsible for La Salle’s resurgence in the fourth quarter from a 15-point deficit, only to be spoiled by UE big man Allan Beltran – who shot the inside stab with 0.1 second in the clock that sent the match to overtime.
La Salle and UP will tangle in a crucial battle on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. while UE will again search for their first win against Far Eastern University at 7 p.m.
The Scores:
LA SALLE 85 – Winston 18, Lojera 17, Baltazar 14, M. Phillips 12, Nonoy 11, Nwankwo 5, Nelle 3, Escandor 2, Galman 2, Cuajao 1, B. Phillips 0, Manuel 0.
UE 82 – Pagsanjan 23, K. Paranada 13, J. Cruz 10, Beltran 9, N. Paranada 9, Escamis 7, Sawat 6, Lorenzana 5, Antiporda 0, Villanueva 0, Guevarra 0, P. Cruz 0, Abatayo 0.
Quarterscores: 9-20, 32-32, 48-57, 69-69, 85-82.
