La Salle shook up the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball standings even more on Saturday night after it slipped past rival Ateneo, 76-73, in overtime at Araneta Coliseum.
The Green Archers escaped with their sixth victory in 10 games to overtake Far Eastern University (5-4) at No. 3 despite missing five of their last free throws in the final 17 seconds.
‘Every time we face Ateneo, we know it will be a good game,’ said La Salle swingman JC Macalalag, who finished with 11 points, three rebounds and two steals to help the Archers notch their third consecutive win.
‘When we went to OT, during those moments all we thought about was the message before the game, which is to be the strongest team for the moment.’
La Salle rookie Joaquin Tovera shone with an all-around game of 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists, including a drive and dish to Henry Agunanne down low for the game-tying dunk, 66-66, with 12.1 seconds left in regulation.
Kieffer Alas had a chance to win it for the Eagles, but his contested short jumper hit the front rim as time ran out.
Ateneo trailed by six, 75-69, after Mason Amos buried a triple with 1:35 remaining, but the Blue Eagles rallied and were still in it up until the final buzzer when Ian Espinosa’s heave from past halfcourt hit all board following missed freebies from Vhoris Marasigan and Doy Dungo inside the last six seconds.
Jared Bahay had 18 points on 5-of-14 shooting, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals for Ateneo, while Alas also tallied 18 points on top of four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Alas, however, had a crucial turnover-a bad pass on the inbound to Bahay-with 4.4 ticks to go with Ateneo down by only three.
Agunanne, Dungo and Amos added eight points a piece for La Salle, which continued to miss the services of star guard Jacob Cortez due to a knee injury.
Ateneo, which was coming off a victory over National University on Wednesday, dropped to fifth at 5-5.