Even when he was struggling from downtown all game long, Greg Cunanan didn't lose any bit of the courage he needed to bury the biggest basket of the game and help Lyceum of the Philippine University get one over its perennial tormentor San Beda University, 64-62, in the NCAA Season 100 on Tuesday.
The graduating guard, who was 0-of-6 from the three-point area prior to a pair of big shots in the endgame, knocked down the dagger three-pointer over Menard Songcuya with 8.6 seconds left that gifted LPU the win.
Before that game-winning trey, the 25-year-old playmaker also hit a triple at the buzzer that sent the Pirates to a slim 61-60 lead, but Penny Estacio answered with a quick jumper as San Beda regained an advantage.
But thanks to Cunanan's heroics, the Pirates gutted out a huge victory---their second straight to open their second round run.
LPU has now tied Colegio de San Juan de Letran at the fourth spot with a 6-5 card while the Red Lions saw their four-game winning streak get snapped as they fell to 7-4.
"The key is 'yung willingness to win the game," LPU head coach Gilbert Malabanan said.
"You know naman binibigay talaga ng players 'yung lahat, even the first group, the second group, and third group, they give their best."
LPU kept it close the whole time despite the Red Lions building a lead as big as 11 early in the second quarter, but the Pirates completed a flurry of baskets to end the half down by just one, 31-32.
The game was so close that both teams were knotted at 44-all before heading to the fourth. A Jomel Puno triple would again tie things up at 55-all before Michael Versoza and JM Bravo joined forces to get a 58-56 lead in the final 1:46.
Bismarck Lina, who wasn't around the first time the two teams met on the opening day, split his charities followed by a booming triple from Estacio, allowing San Beda to take a 60-58 cushion.
But the Pirates showed character and hung tough behind the big game from their team captain.
Gyle Montaño was also big for LPU, coming off the bench to top-score with 12 points while Cunanan finished with 11 markers together with two rebounds, one assist, and one steal as they stepped up amid an off-day from John Barba, who was held to a 0-of-11 shooting clip.
Lina emerged as the top scorer for San Beda with 12 points while Yukien Andrada and Puno each tallied 11 and 10 markers.
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—JMB, GMA Integrated News
