In a relegation series that pushed the club to the edge, Pandesal survived Duke Devilz 2–1 and secured its place in Division III once again, thanks in large part to the brilliance, nerve, and late-game heroics of its superstar forward. Over the three-game battle, Corujeira averaged 37.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game, while shooting 49.4% from the field, 45.8% from three, and 85.7% from the line. When the pressure was highest and the margin for error was gone, he became the man who carried Pandesal back from the brink.
The series did not begin the way Pandesal wanted. Duke struck first with a 122–113 victory, leaning on its dangerous perimeter attack and making it clear this would not be a comfortable stay-or-go battle. Even in defeat, Corujeira poured in 37 points, a warning that Duke still had no real answer for him. Pandesal was suddenly staring down relegation, with no room left for hesitation.
That was when the response came.
In Game 2, Pandesal fought back and took a dramatic 129–125 overtime win, keeping the series alive and proving it would not fold under pressure. Corujeira delivered another huge night with 34 points, while the frontcourt battle and team resilience kept the season alive for one more game. But it was in the deciding game that he fully seized the series and made it his own.
Game 3 looked lost.
Down 17 in the fourth quarter, Pandesal appeared finished. Duke had the lead, the momentum, and every reason to believe Division III survival was slipping away. But Corujeira refused to let the season die. He attacked, he scored, he drew fouls, he hit from deep, and he kept dragging Pandesal back into the game every time the door looked ready to close. As the deficit shrank and the pressure mounted, it became clear that Duke was no longer just playing Pandesal — it was trying to survive Corujeira.
Then came the shots that changed everything.
With the clock winding down and Pandesal still chasing, Corujeira buried the huge late three to tie the game. Moments later, after Duke retook the lead with only seconds remaining, he delivered again — hitting the buzzer-beater that forced overtime and turned what should have been the end of Pandesal’s season into one more chance to survive. By the end of the deciding game, he had poured in 42 points and 12 rebounds, authoring the defining performance of the entire relegation battle.
Of course, survival was not his alone. Luigi Albanese owned the glass all series and delivered the game-winning putback in overtime of Game 3. Máximo Lezana gave Pandesal a huge lift in the middle game. The supporting cast fought for every possession and gave the team just enough to stay attached. But when Pandesal was on the edge of relegation, it was Corujeira who became the savior.
This series was about more than talent. It was about survival. About refusing to disappear. About finding one player willing to put the entire club on his back and drag it across the line.
Pandesal is still in Division III.
And when this series is remembered, it will be remembered for one thing above all else:
When relegation came for Pandesal, Ivo Corujeira stood in its way.