When the NCAA Season 101 Seniors Basketball Tournament introduced a new format that placed San Beda University in the so-called “Group of Death” alongside Colegio de San Juan de Letran, College of Saint Benilde, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and Jose Rizal University, the Red Lions were widely expected to face an uphill battle.
Instead, San Beda rose to the challenge and dominated the bracket, closing the elimination round with three wins in four outings to secure the top seed with a 9–4 record.
Barely a week later, after eliminating the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates in the quarterfinals, the Red Lions now advance to the Final Four. But the next stage offers no rest, only another daunting task, which head coach Yuri Escueta has already dubbed “the Bracket of Death.”
This is the Red Lions’ 19th straight final four appearance — 12 of which are under team manager Jude Roque.
In the best-of-three semifinals on Tuesday, December 2, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, San Beda will face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between defending champion Mapua University and modern-age rival Benilde.
Escueta believes that if the Red Lions truly aim to reclaim the crown they lost in Season 100, they must embrace every challenge that awaits them against two of the NCAA’s strongest programs.
“Wala kami choice, whoever we face, we have to prepare one step at a time. If sila ang makalaban namin to be able to reach our goal, we have to be ready for them,” Escueta said after their 91–67 quarterfinal win over the Pirates on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“Wala, pareho lang. Pareho mahirap kalaban, pareho well-coached, and they have good players, especially sa CSB. Magagaling ang mga players doon,” he added.
Team captain Yuki Andrada echoed Escueta’s sentiments, noting that whether it’s the Cardinals or the Blazers who await them in the semifinals, the Red Lions will prepare with the understanding that the postseason leaves little room for error.
Taking on the pressure of trying to cap his final year by bringing the NCAA seniors basketball crown back to Mendiola, Andrada said San Beda’s identity as the league’s winningest program will be defined by how it responds to elite competition — whether that comes from Mapua or Benilde.
“Well, both teams are really good. Whoever wins, we have to be prepared. The coaches will do their job also as I said. Either of those two, whoever wins between them, we’ll be prepared for them,” the 6-foot-5 forward said.
“The players were really locked in, the coaches did their job and the players did their job, and that’s all we want naman ‘eh. I hope that translates into the Final Four stage and coming into the next step.”
