ALVIN Ray Dumuk scored the biggest basket for Saint Louis University Navigators in almost 40 minutes of play to fashion out a come from behind victory Sunday in the eliminations round of the 8th Panagbenga Cup Invitational Basketball tournament.
Dumuk scored 11 of his 12 points in the payoff canto including the go ahead basket in the final 2.8 seconds of the ball game to carve out a 68-66 victory against BBEAL men's basketball titlist University of Baguio Cardinals.
After trailing the entire ball game and trail by more than 20 points going into the final period, the Navigators outscored the Cardinals in the final ten minutes to start their campaign on a high note in the open bracket of the tournament.
"We really took a major adjustment come the fourth quarter, good thing the boys were converting necessary points just before the last two minute marker ng ballgame," said Navigators coach Raymund Austria.
"Masuwerte kami to win this one, we hope to do better sa next scheduled game," Austria added.
Trailing by 26 points at the start of the pay-off canto, 36-62, SLU forced its way back into the ballgame with Dumuk, Emerson Javier, and Clyde Earl Habon coming up with a combined 23 points to cut the Cardinal’s lead into three, 61-64, with 2:16 remaining in the ballgame.
Noel Cathedral however extended UB’s lead by five after dropping a lay-up, 66-61, with 1:36 running the clock.
SLU rallied anew as Habon tied the game 66 all, after dropping a fastbreak point and fouled with 57.6 ticks left in the ballgame.
UB then tried to convert their last possession with Kendrick Basan commanding the floor, but missed as the Navigators claimed a final play with Dumuk scoring the win for his team.
“Masaya ako na nakuha pa namin ang last shot to win, actually all the players did great effort para bumalik kami sa laro starting the fourth quarter.” Dumuk quipped.
Habon scored 15 points for SLU while Javier and Dumuk added 14 and 12 respectively.
Basan had 16 points including six rebounds and a steal, while Ian Samuel Sena added another 10 including five boards.