Alas nails crucial trey for Letran
THE LETRAN Knights got a huge three-pointer from Kevin Alas in overtime to help them eke past the Lyceum Pirates, 92-89, in the 87th NCAA basketball tournament yesterday at the Arena in San Juan City.
Alas buried a trey in the final 25.9 seconds for a 90-86 cushion, which practically dashed the Pirates’ hope of an upset and gave the Knights their fifth win in seven games. Alas led all scorers with 24 points.
Floricel Guevarra replied with a trey of his own to pull Lyceum to within one, 90-89, in the final 22 seconds. The Pirates then went on a fouling spree, sending John Azores to the line twice. Azores split his two consecutive charities for the final score in the last 3.7 seconds, as Lyceums’s Shane Ko and Dexter Zamora both missed their desperation tries from the arc as the buzzer sounded. The Pirates dropped to 4-4 (win-loss).
Jay Espiritu earlier put the contest into extra time after sinking a trey for Letran with 38.4 seconds left in regulation for a 77-all standoff. The Pirates, who lost Onofre Napiza and Chris Cayabyab on fouls late in the fourth period, still had enough time to steal the game, but Jhygruz Laude missed his attempt at the buzzer. Correspondent Jonas Panerio
