John Michael Tamayo poured in a game-high 30 points as the Baguio Central University Eagles outlasted the Benguet State University Wildcats, 107-98, in a thrilling double-overtime victory during the elimination round of the Baguio Benguet Educational Athletic League men’s basketball tournament at the UB Gym, October 7.
The Eagles dominated the final minutes of the second overtime, capitalizing after BSU standout Ritish Lal fouled out with 2:25 remaining.
Tied at 98-all following free throws by Mark John Gatotos, BCU unleashed a decisive 9-0 closing run after Jezreel Bugayong broke the tie with a crucial basket, Gatotos followed with a three-point play, and Rod Vincent Ollado capped the late surge to put the game out of reach for the Wildcats.
BCU head coach Dominique Pomar credited his team’s conditioning and relentless pace for overcoming an early double-digit deficit and surviving the marathon contest and emphasized the importance of constant movement, setting proper screens, and utilizing their transition offense to wear down the opposition.
“Every transition we need to run, because that is our weapon. It just comes down to a test of stamina,” Pomar said.
The Eagles were on the brink of defeat at the end of regulation after trailing 84-82.
Tamayo converted a layup off an inbound pass with 5.5 seconds remaining to tie the game while BSU’s Justin Cavestany, who led the Wildcats with 23 points, missed a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer to send the match into its first extra period.
The first overtime featured a grueling back-and-forth battle with multiple lead changes.
Tamayo gave the Eagles a narrow 93-92 edge off a pass from Ponce with 15.5 seconds left, but BSU’s Mark Paul Mendoza managed to hit one of two free throws with three seconds remaining to knot the score at 93-all and force the second overtime.
BSU controlled the early tempo of the game, taking a 23-15 lead at the end of the first quarter behind early offensive bursts from Cavestany and Lal, who finished with 20 points.
However, the Eagles rallied with a strong second quarter, taking a 47-44 halftime lead on a late 3-pointer before the teams traded blows throughout a tightly contested second half.
Gatotos provided crucial offensive support for BCU, finishing with 23 points, while Ollado and Shandy Nicolie Orozco contributed 16 and 13 points, respectively.
Mendoza added 17 points for the Wildcats in the heartbreaking loss. Roderick Osis
