MANILA -- San Sebastian’s Jimbo Aquino is a known zone breaker. Without him, Jose Rizal’s zone defense was invincible.

Pouncing on the absence of the sweet shooting Aquino, the Bombers sent the Stags to their knees for the first time in Season 85 of the NCAA with a 71-65 win at The Arena in San Juan City Friday.

Thus, Jose Rizal U extended their Final Four series to another game on Monday for the right to meet reigning three-peat titlist San Beda in the finals.

Cameroonian dynamo Nchotu Njei poured in his season-high 15 points including a 3-point shot—his first this year—in the fourth quarter while Marvin Hayes, a former two time Mythical Five member, scattered 15 points to power the Bombers to their first win over the Stags.

San Sebastian won its first two outings with Jose Rizal, 91-76, last August 3 and, 84-78, last October 7.

But without Aquino, the league’s second leading scorer after averaging 20-plus points a game, the Stags were just vulnerable.

Jose Rizal coach Ariel Vanguardia, in fact, acknowledged the importance of Aquino, who served his one-game suspension for punching San Beda’s Jake Pascual the last time out.

“His (Aquino) absence was a big part of our win, our zone defense wouldn’t have worked if he’s around,” said Vanguardia.