FIL-AM Josh Vanlandingham buried a triple with 3.2 seconds remaining as Hapee Toothpaste derailed Magnolia Purewater?s outright semis bid with a 76-73 win yesterday in the 2009 Philippine Basketball League PG Flex Linoleum Cup at the San Beda College Gym in Mendiola, Manila.

Almost given up for the dead after squandering an 18-point lead, Vanlandingham rose to the occasion, executing the team?s last offensive play to perfection to help the Complete Protectors escape with the win.

The 6?2? Fil-Am received a handoff pass from Earn Saguindel before hitting a three from the left side to shatter a 73-73 tie.

The Wizards had a chance to send the game into overtime, but Leomer Losentes? 3-point attempt sailed wide right.

With the win, Hapee tied idle Bacchus Energy Drink for third place with an even 5-5 record. But more than that, Hapee revived its own bid for an outright semis berth.

?Para talaga kay Josh ?yung last play and swerte naman na maganda ?yung location ni Josh and he bailed us out,? said Hapee head coach Gee Abanilla. ?We were already in control of the game, but when Jeff Morial left the game, we lost momentum.?

A bloodied Morial left the game with 6:02 in the third quarter after a wayward elbow from Yuri Escueta opened a gash on his right cheekbone, which took six stitches to close.

From there, the Wizards cut a 61-43 deficit late in the third to eventually tie the game, 73-73, on a fastbreak shot by Losentes with 15.6 to go.

But Magnolia failed to stop Vanlandingham?s heroics on the next play leading to their downfall.

Vanlandingham, a late draft pick out of Pacific Lutherian University in Tacoma, Washington, made 2-of-5 treys to finish with 11 points and four rebounds in 18 minutes of play.

Alfie Grijaldo led the Complete Protectors with 12 points, six rebounds and three steals while Jervy Cruz nearly made a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Magnolia dropped to 7-3 but is still two games ahead of both Bacchus and Hapee for second place. The Wizards need to win one of their next two games to join league-leading Harbour Centre in the semis.

In the other game, Harbour Centre reaffirmed its mastery over Burger King with a 93-82 win.