| Red Lions secure top seed, past Stags NCAA Press Release, Thu, Oct 15, 2009 Games Friday (The Arena, San Juan City) 10 a.m.- San Beda vs Jose Rizal (jrs) 11:45 a.m.- Letran vs San Sebastian (jrs) 2 p.m.- San Beda vs Letran (srs) 4 p.m.- San Sebastian vs Jose Rizla (srs) Reigning titlist San Beda came out tougher in a rough, defensive game as it sent San Sebastian to its knees for a second straight game, 71-65, yesterday to clinch the top seeding in the 85th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City. Slowed down by the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) operation he went through early in the year, Borgie Hermida came up with his breakout game of the season as he fired 18 points including six in the stretch as the Lions will go into the Final Four as the top seed. There, the Mendiola-based school, which trounced San Sebastian, 71-67, just this Monday to forge yesterday’s rubber match, would face a Rey Guevarra-less Letran side tomorrow needing just a victory to barge into the best-of-three championship round. The Stags, who went a league record 15-0 start before dropping three of their last six outings, fell to No. 2 and would tackle the dangerous No. 3 Jose Rizal Bombers, last year’s losing finalists. San Beda coach Frankie Lim said finishing on top of the elimination round for the third straight season under his watch is an accomplishment by itself. “We’re happy to finish on top for the third straight year and we take pride on that,” said Lim, who took over from Koy Banal two years ago to steer the Lions to the last two of their amazing three-peat feat. Jimbo Aquino, the league’s second leading scorer, was tossed out 6.10 minutes remaining in the third quarter for punching San Beda’s Jake Pascual and should be meted an automatic one-game suspension he would serve in the Final Four. At first, the Lions appeared headed blowing out the Aquino-less Stags but the latter mustered enough energy to slowly but surely claw their way back behind the clutch shooting of reserve guard Anthony del Rio, who poured in eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter. From as high as a 12-point deficit in the third canto, the Stags surged back and on a tip in by the scrappy Calvin Abueva San Sebastian trimmed its deficit down to 65-66 with a little over three minutes to go. It turned out the last as the Lions shut down the Stags the rest of the way with Jake Pascual, who scored all his eight points in the second half, and Hermida delivering the final blows. San Beda drew strength from its sleek running game as it repeated over Letran, 91-77, in their playoff yesterday to clinch the top seeding in the Final Four in the juniors division of the 85th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City. The entertaining backcourt duo of Baser Amer and Roldan Sara combined for 40 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds and five steals to fuel the Cubs’ mighty attack while a third point guard, Marc Ludovice, joined the fray by chipping in 10 points he spiked with two steals and an assist. The emphatic win sealed San Beda a Final Four meeting with Jose Rizal, which earlier turned back a tough Perpetual Help, 83-77, to clinch the No. 4 spot, tomorrow needing just a triumph to advance to the best-of-three finale. “Since our first round loss to Letran, I’ve decided to use two, sometimes three point guards at the same time and it’s been working wonders,” said San Beda coach Ato Badolato, who is retiring after this season after serving the Mendiola-based school for nearly four decades now leading to 15 NCAA crown. With their phalanx of guards at the forefront, the Lions took control almost all throughout the game and after the smoke of battle dissipated, the Cubs ended up with 23 assists and eight steals that led to 26 points off transition. In juniors game, the prolific Jarelan Tampus dropped 26 points on San Beda but he fouled out early in the fourth quarter while Glenn Khobuntin played through a sprained ankle and finished with only eight points that hastened the Squires’ downfall. Letran thus finished as the No. 2 seed and will take on No. 3 San Sebastian, the reigning four-peat champion, likewise needing a win to advance to the championship. Louie Vigil, the leading MVP candidate, erupted for 33 points including a 15-point barrage in the second quarter when the Light Bombers roared back from 14 points down in the opening period to turn things around in their favour. The win spoiled the Junior Altas’ bid of barging into the Final Four for the first time since the Las Pinas-based school entered the league 25 seasons ago. The scores: First Game (jrs) Jose Rizal 83- Vigil 83, Saret 19, Garcia 14, dela Paz 9, Oliveria 4, Yasa 2, Barranco 2, Tanquintic 0 Perpetual Help 77- Alolino 22, Eriobu 17, Alano 16, Joalngcob 10, Lao 4, Brito 2, Saldua 0, Onrubia 0, Garcia 0, Inigo 0 Quarterscores: 14-28; 37-30; 58-51; 83-77 Second Game (jrs) San Beda 91- Amer 25, Sara 115, Ludovice 10, A,min 8, dela Cruz 8, Moralde 7, Gotladera 6, Javier 6, Monteclaro 5, Nazareno 1, Nayve 0, dela Costa 0, Lunas 0, Chavez 0 Letran 77- Tampus 26, Cudal 14, Khobuntin 8, Reyes 7, Medina 6, Cruz 5, So 4, Inigo 3, Ongteco 2, Cabigas 2, Maravilla 0, Cabahug 0 Quarterscores: 21-16; 45-39; 73-59; 91-77 Third Game (srs) San Beda 71- Hermida 18, dela Rosa 12, Pascual 8, Marcelo 8, Daniel 6, Lanete 4, Tecson 3, Caram 2, Tirona 2 San Sebastian 65- Abueva 13, del Rio 13, Bulawan 11, Pascual 9, Sangalang 6, Aquino 5, Raymundo 3, Maconocido 3, Semira 2, Gatchalian 0, Najorda 0 Quarterscores: 6-6; 28-21; 52-45; 71-65 |
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