Rookie sensation Jeron Teng dropped a career-best 35 points to tow De La Salle University to its fourth win in seven games at the expense of National University, 87-86, in the 75th UAAP men’s basketball tournament.
But Saturday's game took over two hours to finish as both squads went neck and neck in two extensions.
Teng gave La Salle a five-point lead with 3:59 left in second overtime before NU's Emmanuel Mbe reduced the deficit to three in 2:25.
Norbert Torres secured the crucial rebound with less than a minute remaining to give the Archers some leeway. This prompted Robin Roño to foul Almond Vosotros, who then buried one of his two charities. Parks, who also posted 35 markers, scored a buzzer-beating trey to list the final score.
NU tied La Salle with a 4-3 slate before the start of the second round of eliminations next week.
Torres, who hails from Cagayan de Oro, grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds on top of six points and three assists.
"He (Torres) really struggled but his presence was really needed by the team. It would have been better if he score more for us," La Salle coach Gee Abanilla told reporters at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Both Teng and Parks, meanwhile, scored the highest individual score since Jeff Napa, now NU high school cage mentor, scattered 43 points on August 23, 2002.
The first overtime came after Troy Rosario converted a layup, 69-69, while NU had four unanswered points to set up the second extension, 79-79. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)