By Randolph B. Leongson, spin.ph
JIELO Razon drained the game-winning trey from near-halfcourt as Perpetual sunk Emilio Aguinaldo College, 66-63, for its first win in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup on Wednesday in San Juan.
The fourth-year guard, who struggled with his shot throughout the game, made the basket with 0.8 seconds left over the outstretched arms of Ralph Robin to help the Altas earn their breakhthrough victory in the preseason tournament.
“Ang kapal talaga ng mukha. Di naman para sa kanya yun pero tinira lang niya,” said coach Myk Saguiguit with a laugh. “He’s been missing a lot of shots eh, pero any given time, ibibigay ko sa kanya yun.”
It was Razon’s lone conversion for the game as he missed his first eight shots, six of which coming from deep.
But he saved his best for last, saying, “Yung teammates and coaches ko, sinabi itira ko lang. Salamat sa tiwala nila, napaganda pa at game-winner.”
Marcus Nitura paced the Altas with a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Joey Barcuma got 10 points and five boards in the win to bounce back from its loss to UP two days back.
EAC still had a chance to force overtime, but Mark Omega intercepted Kriss Gurtiza’s inbound pass intended for Allen Liwag.
Ralph Robin fired 23 points from three triples to lead the Generals.
Liwag added 12 points and nine rebounds, as Gurtiza also got 12 points, three boards, and two assists in the loss to fall to 1-1 in Group A.
The scores:
Perpetual 66 – Nitura 17, Barcuma 10, Egan 7, Orgo 7, Omega 6, Flores 5, Abis 5, Boral 4, Razon 3, Nunez 2, Martel 0, Ferreras 0, Cuevas 0.
EAC 63 – Robin 23, Liwag 12, Gurtiza 12, An. Doria 8, Balowa 4, Luciano 2, Umpad 2, Cosejo 0, Maguliano 0, Dominguez 0, Cosa 0.
Quarterscores: 13-12; 31-33; 49-52; 66-63.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: https://www.spin.ph/basketball/jielo-razon-delivers-winner-as-perpetual-edges-eac-a2437-20220727