The Carampatana Food Corp-2012 rode the heroics of guard Rev-Rev Diputado down the stretch to outlast the Asian Orthopedics-2014 to capture their second straight championship in Division C of the 25th Sacred Heart Ateneo Alumni Basketball Athletic Association (SHAABAA) basketball tournament last Sunday at the Magis Eagles Arena.
Diputado scored Batch 2012’s last five points, including a crucial layup with 9.5 seconds that sealed the game, the series, and the title. It was a hard-earned victory for Batch 2012, which seemed poised to run away with the title as they led, 69-60, with five minutes remaining in the game.
But Zachy Huang canned a floater, Gio Laguyo made a free-throw, and Lucky Ecarma scored a left-handed layup to trim the deficit to four, 65-69, 2:55 to go. But Diputado stemmed the tide by scoring a tough layup against two defenders to bring their lead to six, 71-65, time down to 1:57.
Ecarma answered with a three-pointer to pull Batch 2014 to within three, 68-71. A free-throw by Diputado and two from the line by Huang pegged the score at 72-70, Batch 2012 in front with 48 seconds left in the winner-take-all match.
Batch 2014 forced numerous misses but could not collar the defensive rebound. Batch 2012 made them pay for their folly as Dave Yu found Diputado with a picture-perfect inbound pass from the baseline for a layup that gave them a 74-70 lead with just nine seconds remaining.
Diputado finished with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Julius Cadavis and Yu had 14 markers each. Mavii Suarez chipped in 13 for Batch 2012.
Ecarma led Batch 2014 — which went unbeaten all season long before losing twice in the finals — with 22 points and eight boards. Huang had a double-double of 20 points and 11 boards, while Noriko Benedicto pitched in 10.