LPU’s Ato Barba. Photo from NCAA Philippines. 

MANILA — Lyceum of the Philippines University has ended its losing skid to finally clinch its first win in NCAA Season 100.

This, after the Pirates completed their comeback against Jose Rizal University, 97-92, during their men's basketball tournament faceoff at the San Juan Arena. 

Ato Barba fired his career-best 28 points on top of five rebounds and three assists to give this year's hosts their first win, while Vince Cunanan and Mac Guadaña scored 20 and 17, respectively.

Trailing by 12, 83-71, after a jumper by Mart Barrera at the 7:53 mark of the last frame, Guadaña scored five straight points for the Intramuros cagers to get to within eight.

Genesis Aviles and Jonathan Daileg's consecutive hits then brought LPU to four with still over four minutes left, while it was Barba's triple and Cunanan's lay-in that tied the game at 88 at the 2:05 mark of the same frame.

Later on, after a turnover by Patrick Ramos, Barba hit a triple from way beyond the arc to finally overtake the Heavy Bombers, 95-92, with only 25 ticks left in the game, and it was Cunanan's turn to ice the game in their next possession as he sank both of his attempts at the foul line to finally fend off JRU.

Meanwhile, the Heavy Bombers, who slumped to 0-3 in the standings, were headed by Jonathan Medina's 22 points — also a career-high — together with six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks but with four turnovers before fouling out in the fourth.

Joshua Guiab served as JRU's pillar with a 20-point, seven-rebound game, while also standing out for the Mandaluyong-based team was Shawn Argente who had 11.

The Scores:

LPU 97 — Barba 82, Cunanan 20, Guadaña 17, Peñafiel 9, Montaño 9, Daileg 5, Aviles 4, Moralejo 2, Gordon 1, Villegas 1, Panelo 1, Caduyac 0, Culanay 0

JRU 92 —  Medina 22, Guiab 20, Argente 11, Ramos 9, Sarmiento 9, Barrera 9, Pangilinan 3, Bernardo 3, Ferrer 2, Mosqueda 2, Panapanaan 1, De Leon 1, Raymundo 0, Samontanes 0

Quarterscores: 28-32, 53-62, 61-72, 97-92.