Clarice Aujero bucked game-long denial defense to score 37 points and lead four-time defending champion University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos to a come-from-behind 57-54 victory over St. Josephs School-La Salle in Saturday’s NOPSSCEA girls basketball final at the West Negros gym.

The 2012 Palarong Pambansa veteran, hounded for most of the game by SJS rookie Jeanybeb Andrada, broke through with 16 fourth-quarter points, sealing her team’s comeback from a 10-point deficit with three minutes remaining.

Providing support for Aujero were her 2012 WVRAA teammates Rizza Cenabre who put in solid play at the point on the way to scoring 13, and Kay Berduque whose rebounding and all-round hustle kept UNO-R in the fray.

The game’s surprise was Andrada, who managed 23 points despite a tiring chaser’s role in the box-and-one. SJS’ one-two punch of Mayet Talavera and Nesa Antiquiera combined for 29 points, and were instrumental in staking the 2011 losing finalists to a 51-41 lead late in the game, but both fouled out shortly thereafter.

With the game appearing lost, UNO-R coach Ericson Rios chucked the zone for a full-court press, setting the stage for a flurry of Aujero drives and foul shots, punctuated by a Rufa Deo 15-footer, for the unlikely win.*

The scores:

UNO-R 57 – Aujero 37, Cenabre 13, Berduque 2, Deo 2, Montaňo 2,

Mendoza 1, Arroyo 0, Escaro 0, Lagansoa 0, Masui 0, Dayon 0, Ganon 0,

Legaspi 0, Ordaniel 0

0, Florentino, Ong 0, Lagarto, Lucero 0, Ceballos 0, Jumilla 0,

Nonan 0, Villando 0*

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