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Tiebreaker Times

San Beda stages late rally in win over Jose Rizal U


In a game that pitted the NCAA’s best offensive team and the best defensive team, it was offense that prevailed over defense as the San Beda College (SBC) Red Lions blasted the Jose Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers in an 88-69 win to push the defending champion’s streak to four games Thursday afternoon at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

Ola Adeogun was a man on a mission in the first quarter as he dominated his defender, Cameroonian student-athlete, Abdulrazak Abdulwahab in the paint. Art dela Cruz continued to find Adeogun in excellent position in the paint that led to easy points and free throws for the Red-and-White team’s big man, who had eight points in the quarter. Defensive stopper Gio Lasquety paced the Heavy Bombers early in the game while Abdel Poutouochi kept his team closer late in the game but a corner three pointer by AC Soberano and free throws by Adeogun gave the defending champions a 20-15 lead to end the quarter.

Smart Elite ambassador Tey Teodoro and San Beda’s Art de la Cruz starred for their respective teams in the second stanza. With the Red Lions leading 30-19 at the 6:28 mark of the quarter, Teodoro was able to find an open Lasquety underneath and then followed it up with a jumper to cut the lead to just eight. The former Fatima standout then proceeded to weave his way into the paint for open baskets or dishouts to cut the Beda lead to just six with 1:18 remaining in the quarter. A de la Cruz floater was answered right back by free throws by Teodoro that cut the lead to just six, 39-33, to enter halftime.

Teodoro scored 13 points in the first half on 5/9 shooting. But Jose Rizal U was just 42% from the field. For the Red Lions, their starting five combined for 32 of the Red Lions’ 39 first half points.

The Heavy Bombers blitzed in the early goings of the third canto with a three pointer by Jordan dela Paz and a fastbreak layup to cut the lead to just three. However, the frontline of JRU could not contain de la Cruz as he powered his way to a three-point play and a layup. The lead would balloon to 12 points before coach Vergel Meneses called a timeout. In the timeout, Meneses called out Abdulwahab for not anchoring the defense well. The call out fired up the foreign student-athlete in pouring his way in the paint to cut the lead. Missed free throws by Donald Tankoua and Odeogun made matters worse. A three pointer and a stepback by sparkplug Paolo Pontejos sever the lead to just four, 58-54, to enter the final quarter.

The rally of the Heavy Bombers was extended to an 11-0 run to open the fourth that cut the lead to just two, 58-56. Slowly, the starting five of the Red Lions locked the Heavy Bombers down. The frontline of Adeogun, de la Cruz, and Sorela feasted their way in the paint. Moreover, Sara and de la Cruz clogged the passing lane that forced their opponents into turnovers. Multiple floaters by de la Cruz and an and-one play by Sorela extended the lead to 16 before a Radgebill Tongco three pointer ended the game at 88-69 in favor of the Red Lions.

“It is still a process,” Coach Jamike Jarin confessed. “We know JRU does not quit, they’re not gonna give up. They make you get out of your set plays. We were able to get our bearings and we were able to listen to each other,” the proud coach said. Moreover, he credited the frontline of his team that helped limit Teodoro to just four points in the second half.

Arthur de la Cruz displayed another masterful performance in scoring 29 points on a whopping 11/14 shooting. De la Cruz also dished out a season-high nine assists. One-time Green Archer Dan Sara scored 17 points as well while Adeogun had 16 points, eight coming from the charity stripe.

As a team, the Red Lions shot an outstanding 53% from the field compared to the 44% of JRU. But the most glaring stats is the 23 turnovers committed by the blue-and-yellow squad that led to 25 turnover points.

The San Beda Red Lions face the San Sebastian Stags on Thursday, August 13 at 4:00pm while the JRU Heavy Bombers face the Mapua Cardinals on Tuesday, August 11 at 2:00pm.

The Scores:

SBC (88) – Dela Cruz 29, Sara 17, Adeogun 16, Koga 7, Tongco 7, Solera 7, Soberano 3, Tankoua 2, Cabanag 0, Reyes 0, Mocon 0, Bonsubre 0, Presbitero 0, Sedillo 0

JRU (69) – Teodoro 16 Dela Paz 15 Pontejos 9 Poutouochi 8 Abdul Wahab 8 Lasquety 4 Dela Virgen 3 Aurin 2 Balagtas 2, Grospe 2, Sanchez 0, Cruz 0, Estrella 0

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