San Beda University secured its fourth straight win in dominant fashion, kicking off round two of the NCAA Season 100 Seniors Basketball Tournament with a 79-65 victory over Arellano University on Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The Red Lions quickly seized control of the game against the Chiefs, who had stunned them with a tight 70-72 upset in their first-round encounter.
Arellano came into the match riding high after a statement victory over top-ranked College of Saint Benilde.
Still, the defending champions ensured there would be no repeat upset this time.
Despite their 20-point lead being trimmed to just 12 at halftime, San Beda entered the third quarter determined to put the game out of reach.
The reigning champs outscored Arellano 24-12 in the period, fully asserting their dominance.
The Red Lions’ lead ballooned to as much as 27 points, 68-41, following an RC Calimag triple with 9:48 left in the fourth quarter, as they cruised to a 79-65 victory.
Bismarck Lina was a constant thorn in Arellano’s side throughout the game.
After limited minutes in San Beda’s first-round match-ups, the former UP big man broke out with 20 points and seven rebounds on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting from the field in just 20 minutes of play.
Head coach Yuri Escueta revealed that Lina’s breakout performance came as no surprise, as the former UAAP juniors MVP had always shown what he was capable of.
“This is something na we expect from him when we recruited him. It’s his presence inside. Kahit siya, this is something he knows he can do. Medyo napipigilan siya doon sa previous team niya. He’s a juniors MVP,” said Escueta, now in his third year at the helm.
San Beda’s frontcourt also impressed in the win, with Jomel Puno delivering a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Meanwhile, Yukien Andrada chipped in 15 points, including four triples.
With the win, San Beda improved to 7-3, sitting just half a game behind Benilde at the top of the standings.
The Red Lions will aim to close the gap further when they face Lyceum of the Philippines University on Tuesday at 11:00 AM at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
For Arellano, Lorenz Capulong led the charge with 16 points and five rebounds, while Jeadan Ongotan added 10 points.
The Chiefs dropped to a 3-7 record, and their final four hopes continue to fade.
They will look to replicate their first-round success against Benilde in their rematch on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at the same venue.
The Scores:
San Beda 79 – Lina 20, Andrada 15, Puno 14, Sajonia 8, Payosing 7, Gonzales 4, RC Calimag 3, Songcuya 3, P. Estacio 2, Richi Calimag 2, Tagle 1, Celzo 0, Bonzalida 0, Royo 0, Sollano 0
Arellano 65 – Capulong 16, Ongotan 10, Valencia 9, Vinoya 6, Geronimo 5, Borromeo 4, Flores 4, Camay 2, Abiera 2, Libang 2, De Leon 2, Acop 2, X. Estacio 1, Hernal 0, Miller 0
Quarterscores: 23-16, 41-29, 65-41, 79-65
