DASMARIÑAS, Cavite — John Bachicha scored at every opportunity in the endgame and powered the Colegio Sta. Monica Cougars to a 72-68 beating of the Technological Institute of the Philippines Engineers yesterday at the Ugnayang La Salle gymnasium here.
His heroics in the last three minutes earned the Cougars a second finals slot in the eighth Universities and Colleges Athletic Association (UCAA) men’s basketball tournament.
The 5’9" Bachicha drilled in only eight points, but these were enough for the Cougars to arrange a best-of-three finals showdown with the defending champion Universal College Dragons in this cagefest supported by Mikasa and Molten Balls.
Bachicha’s layup off teammate Jay Alquisala’s interception play with 2:44 left put the Cougars in front at 68-67.
After American student William Porter scored a charity to force the game’s last deadlock at 68-all, Bachicha gave the Cougars a small cushion with his triple, 71-68, with 59.9 ticks to go.
