Games Thursday:

(Olivarez College)

12 noon --  LPU-Batangas vs TIP

2 p.m. -- Diliman vs St. Joseph

DILIMAN College  did it again.

Robbie  Darang delivered the  game-winning  basket  --  a  lay-up with 15.4 seconds left -- and Michael Salazar came  up  with a defensive gem to lift Diliman College to a heart- stopping  85-84 win over Olivarez College  in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League  (UCBL) Season 3   basketball tournament at the Olivarez College in Parañaque City.

Darang’s game-winner  and Salazar’s huge block on Paolo Castro’s triple  late in the  game enabled  the Blue Dragons of  former  Sen. Nikki Coseteng and coach Rensy Bajar  to  extend  their winning streak to five  games  and climb into solo second  place with a 6-1 win-loss record.

More importantly,  the win boosted  the  chances of  the Quezon City-based  Blue  Dragons  in  the  race for  the two  twice-to-beat slots in the Final Four.

Only Centro Escolar University has  better record than Diliman with its 7-1 slate.

CEU defeated Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, 102-63.earlier in the day.

“We’re on a roll now. I hope the  boys will continue to play  well and focus on our objective  to clinch one of the top  two place with twice-to-beat advantages,” said Bajar, also the  first  assistant coach  of PBA legend  Pido Jarencio in the  NorthPort Batang Pier in the PBA.

“Even  with  a  6-1 record, we  can’t  afford  to  relax  since we  are  only half a game  behind CEU with a game against SJC-B on Thursday,” added Bajar, who is  hoping to add  another collegiate crown to Diliman’s  fast-growing collection.

Bajar thanked  Sen. Coseteng  and team sponsors Jerome  Ngo and Wilson Sia of Gerry’s  Grill for their support.

John Mahari topscored for the Blue Dragons with 26 points, while  Kevin Gandjeto added 16 points.

Darang contributed 13 and Salazar had nine.

The scores:

Diliman (85) --  Mahari 26, Gandjeto 16, Darang 13, Coquia 9, Salazar M. 9, Bauzon 7, Brutas 3, Lisika 2, Salazar E. 0,  Enriquez 0, Pacheco 0.

Olivarez (84) --Castro 24, Saguiguit 14, Yani 10, Udoba 8, Begaso 7, De Leon 6, Siegue 6, Almajeda 5, Lalata 4, Completo 0, Geronimo 0, Sala 0.

Quarterscores: 24-18,  44-40,  66-70,  85-84.