After struggling in the elimination, BEWA Mixers of Erickson Amores completed an improbable run by beating former champion Clippers 109-100 to lift the Junior D-3 championship crown while Cyber Dudes 1 defeated Dammam Pirates 104-96 to bag the Junior D4 title at the conclusion of the 15th UFBF Open Basketball Tournament Friday at Al Qadisia gymnasium here.

Clippers had a hot start powered by a combined 22 points from James Chua, Win Mangulabnan, Joey Navarro and Mark Vergara as they held a 30-24 lead after the first quarter.

The Mixers battled back and were able to cut the deficit to just 2, 41-43, midway in the second quarter after Arfel Canete’s three-point play while Jonathan Tamayo scored a baseline floater to tie the game, 43-43, at the turn. Zaldy Patanao added a triple at the 2:37 mark for a 48-43 Mixers’ lead. The Clippers then had nine unanswered points from Joab Paglinawan, Vergara, Mangulabnan and Chua and erected a 52-48 edge end of the period.

After building a huge lead 68-54 midway in the third quarter, Clippers allowed the Mixers to claw their way back into the game behind a 15-0 tear mainly from Eleazar and Labitoria and grab the lead 69-68, 33 seconds left. Labitoria ended the third quarter with a buzzer-beater three-pointer, for a 72-70 advantage.

After Mixers scored the first six points of the fourth period, Clippers unleashed a 5-0 run to cut the Mixer’s lead down to just 3, 75-78, after Navarro and Hernandez’ baskets. Navarro went to his drive and dish offense as he scored 16 of the team’s 30 fourth quarter points and knotted the game anew, 86-86, with his two penalty shots, 6:23 minutes remaining.

However, the Mixers stormed back as Labitoria, Credo and Aclan spearheaded a 9-0 blast for a 100-88 lead, 3:31 minutes left in the game. Mixers coach Erickson Amores ultimately applied a solid half court press in the ensuing period which clamped down the offensive gunners of the opposing team. Clippers’ five tried to find ways to break the stonewall defense to trim the lead down to no avail. Eleazar scored 20 points for the Mixers and was named MVP. He was joined by teammates Labitoria (33 points), Credo (17 points) in the mythical five along with Navarro (28 points), Vergara (12 points) and Chua (19 points) for Clippers.

Antonio Mara dropped 28 points to power his team to victory against Dammam Pirates. Joferson Jore added 18, Michael Bailen and Rodil Alfajora each tallied 15, Marlon Llupar chipped in 13 while Jimmy Alzate, Jeffrey Angcaya, Cris Lunaspi and MJ Mendoza combined for 15 points for Cyber Dudes. The Pirates offense was anchored by ace guard Jayson Bornolia who finished with 25 points and was ably backed by Valentine Magtagad with 20 markers, Michael Galicha with 10 but the rest of the entire crew failed to get the double-digit mark.

Mara was named MVP. He was joined by teammates Alfajora and Llupar (Dudes), Bornolia and Bince (Pirates) in the mythical five.