In a heated match-up that pitted two rival programs against each other, it was the defending champions San Beda College Red Lions who came out on top, imposing their will on a bruised and battered San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags, 76-69, Tuesday afternoon.
“We give credit to San Sebastian, I have so much respect to coach Egay [Macaraya], they did a good job, they had a good run this season. They’re one of the best teams right now in the league,” said Red Lions head coach Boyet Fernandez. “I’m really proud of him, he made sure he made a very fighting team out of that Baste team and it will be a team to reckon with in the next years to come with coach Egay there.”
With the win, San Beda move to the final stage of the NCAA Season 93 Seniors Basketball tournament for the 12th straight year. The best-of-three Finals series between the Red Lions and the Lyceum Pirates begins on Friday, November 10, at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Though it took 19 days before they could return to the floor, the Red Lions showed no rust, storming off the gates for a 10-2 start. Back-to-back triples by Robert Bolick and AC Soberano, a minute and nine seconds into the second frame, gave San Beda a game-high 18-point lead, 32-14.
Javee Mocon posted foreign student-athlete-like numbers, finishing the game with 23 points, 22 rebounds, and five blocks. Besides Mocon’s 20-20 outing, the Red Lions held a huge advantage in free throws. San Beda attempted 36 freebies in the contest compared to just six for San Sebastian.
“Sabi ko lang sa players ko, just keep your cool. The only way we can get back from their physicality is to win the game,” added Fernandez.
Behind their leader Michael Calisaan, the Golden Stags came alive in the third frame. An 11-4 rally by San Sebastian sliced the lead to just four, 48-52, after a pull-up jumper by RK Ilagan with 3:43 remaining in the half.
But things went sour for San Sebastian right at the start of the final frame.
Ilagan, who already had three fouls to his name to start the final frame, was called for a questionable foul against Joe Presbitero 17 seconds into the quarter. Replays showed that Presbitero had swung his left arm at Ilagan, drawing boos from the Baste crowd. Frustrated, Ilagan was slapped with a technical foul and fouled out of the game.
Jayson David tried to lift his team, but San Beda proved to be too much. The Golden Stags were assessed two unsportsmanlike fouls in a span of 54 seconds that helped the Red Lions regain a double-digit lead late.
Robert Bolick finished with 21 points, spiked by five triples, to go along with four rebounds, four assists, and two steals while Donald Tankoua had 13 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks.
“If I give credit to Baste, I will give full credit to my players. They sacrificed a lot in preparation for this game,” Fernandez said.
David led San Sebastian with 16 points to go along with seven rebounds. Ryan Costelo chipped in 15 markers off the bench.
Calisaan, San Sebastian’s main gunner, was limited to just 10 points on 5-for-16 shooting.
San Beda will be gunning for their 21st seniors basketball crown.
The Scores:
SBC (76) – Mocon 23, Bolick 21, Tankoua 13, Soberano 9, Potts 6, Presbitero 4, Abuda 0, Cariño 0, Doliguez 0, Noah 0, Tongco 0.
SSC-R (71) – David 16, Costelo 15, Calisaan 10, Capobres 7, Calma 6, Gayosa 6, Bulanadi 4, Navarro 3, Ilagan 2, Mercado 2, Baetiong 0, Valdez 0.
Quarterscores: 26-11, 44-31, 57-51, 76-71.
