JP Boral he hit a huge triple and Marcos Gojo Cruz showed firmness from the foul line in the final stretch, perpetual help completed his comeback against Jose Rizal University86-82, in the 100th NCAA season men’s basketball tournament on Tuesday.

Boral broke a tight 78-78 game with a three-pointer to put the Altas ahead for good with 48 seconds remaining.

Rookie Gojo Cruz then scored the Altas’ final three points from the free throw line to end the emotional game marred by the ejection of Heavy Bombers coach Louie Gonzales.

Boral finished with a game-high 22 points, John Abis added 15 and the duo of Gojo Cruz and Gelo Gelsano each had 14 for the Altas, who rallied from a 21-point deficit.

Perpetual Help finished its campaign without reaching the Final Four with a 7-11 record in coach Olsen Racela’s rookie season.

“Nakalagay sa (white) namin we want to finish the season the right way,” Racela said.

“Although in the first half all the bad things happened. Kaya nung half time I challenged them, tinanong ko kung ito ba yung persona ng team natin? And I think they responded by showing the true character of this team.”

The victory was also a fitting farewell for Christian Pagaran, who ended his stay with the Altas finishing with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and four steals.

The Heavy Bombers led by as many as 21 points entering the third quarter and 11 entering the fourth quarter, but slowly lost momentum entering the final two minutes.

Gonzales typified the Heavy Bombers’ frustration when he came onto the court with 12 seconds left and Jose Rizal trailing by just three as he tried to prevent Perpetual from using the game clock.

He maintained that the referees did not call an immediate foul on Ivan Panapanaan against Gojo Cruz, denying his team a few seconds off the clock.

The veteran coach received two consecutive technical fouls due to absolute expulsion and had to be calmed down by his assistants and players before being taken to the dugout.

It is Gonzales’ second ejection of the season, which could lead to another suspension and meant missing the Heavy Bombers’ final game of the season on Friday against Emilio Aguinaldo College.

Shawn Argente led Jose Rizal (4-13) with 18 points, including a three-pointer for the team’s final standing, 84-82, before Gojo Cruz hit two free throws for the final count.

The scores:

Perpetuo Socorro 86 – Boral 22, Abis 15, Gojo Cruz 14, Gelsano 14, Pagarán 11, Montemayor 5, Núñez 3, Pizarro 2, Manuel 0, Cauguirán 0, Sevilla 0, Thompson 0.

José Rizal 82 – Argente 18, Guiab 17, Pangilinan 11, Raymundo 8, Sarmiento 8, Lozano 6, Samontanes 6, Barrera 4, Panapanaan 2, De Jesús 2, Ferrer 0, De León 0, Bernardo 0.

Quarters: 22-28; 39-56: 57-68; 86-82.

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