Agem Miranda sank the game-winning basket right at buzzer to steer Jose Rizal University to a hard-fought 61-60 win over host Emilio Aguinaldo College in NCAA Season 98 on Friday.
With 2.6 seconds to play, Miranda received the inbound pass from JL Delos Santos but initially lost control of the ball. He then recovered and put up a short jumper over JC Luciano to give JRU its sixth win.
Miranda led the Heavy Bombers with team-highs of 12 points and 11 rebounds, scoring eight of his points in the second half. Ry Dela Rosa also finished with 12 while Jason Celis added 10 markers.
JRU improved to 6-5 to snap its three-game losing streak while EAC absorbed its fourth loss in a row to drop to 1-13.
Carrying a 31-27 lead at the turn, JRU stepped on the gas in the third by unleashing a 15-2 rampage that gave them a 46-29 cushion after a Celis basket.
That lead, though, was trimmed to just eight, 56-48, after EAC's JP Maguliano knocked down four free throws with 5:00 left in the fourth.
The Generals, who outscored the Heavy Bombers, 19-10, in the fourth quarter, continued their run as they went on to take a four-point lead, 60-56, late in the game.
But John Amores fired a huge three-pointer, 60-59, and Mac Balowa fired blanks on his two freebies to give JRU time to manufacture a game-winning shot.
The win formally allowed JRU to return to the win column after a series of losses.
Celis rediscovered his touch in the first half, igniting for two triples to collect eight points and pace the Heavy Bombers as they led EAC, 31-27.
Maguliano and Allen Liwag, on the other hand, were on top of things for the Generals in the first two quarters of action.
Cosejo led EAC with 16 points and 13 rebounds, both game-highs.
The scores:
JRU 61 - Miranda 12, Dela Rosa 12, Celis 10, Sy 9, Amores 5, Arenal 3, Delos Santos 2, Dionisio 2, Guiab 2, Medina 2, Tan 2, De Jesus 0, Gonzales 0, Abaoag 0.
EAC 60 - Cosejo 16, Maguliano 15, Liwag 5, Ad. Doria 5, Balowa 4, Dominguez 4, Luciano 4, Tolentino 4, Angeles 2, Quinal 1, An. Doria 0, Cosa 0.
Quarters: 16-12, 31-27, 51-41, 61-60.
—JMB, GMA News
