In a clinical showcase for the San Beda College Red Lions, the defending champions gave the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags a methodical beatdown, 76-65, cruising to their 10th straight win, Friday night.
“It’s our defense that stepped up this game. We had a tough time preparing for San Sebastian,” said San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez, who came back from a one-game suspension. “They have a good coach [Egay Macaraya] and good players like [Michael] Calisaan. I appreciate the way my players like [Javee] Mocon stepped up.”
San Beda kept the second spot in the standings with an 11-1 slate, a game behind the Lyceum Pirates and three games ahead of the JRU Heavy Bombers. San Sebastian dropped to 5-6, tied with the Letran Knights and EAC Generals for fourth.
Mocon powered San Beda with 17 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the field to go along with 11 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. Davon Potts tallied his season-high of 16 points, spiked by three triples.
“Di ko alam kung sadya niya pero siguro wrong place at the wrong time lang siguro,” remarked Fernandez.
The Red Lions were in cruise control after a huge 24-9 start in the contest.
Behind Jeramer Cabanag, who scored the first six points of the final frame, San Beda turned up the volume in the final frame by manhandling San Sebastian both on the boards and by forcing turnovers.
San Sebastian could only cut the lead to as low as six points, 70-64, after back-to-back baskets by RK Ilagan and Michael Calisaan before Mocon put on the finishing touches.
Robert Bolick and Clint Doliguez, both returning from one-game suspensions, chipped in 11 and five points respectively.
However, there were some controversy earlier in the game that saw the game officials rescind a flagrant foul two call on Michael Calisaan.
With San Beda up 14-9, Calisaan threw an apparent elbow on Mocon during a rebounding skirmish. At first the referees disqualified the fourth-year Golden Stag, but after a video review, they downgraded the call to an unsportsmanlike foul.
It drew the ire of Fernandez and the San Beda faithful in attendance.
“I love his physicality,” Fernandez said of Calisaan. “Ang akin lang, nag-decide ka na na-thrown out na si Michael but binawi nila after the review. Kailangan nila bawiin yung na thrown out si Robert. Just be fair.”
“Siguro it’s just that I’m in the wrong place and at the wrong time,” furthered Mocon.
Calisaan led San Sebastian with 23 points, while Allyn Bulanadi added 12 markers. However, the Golden Stags were flat-out dominated on the board, as the Red Lions out-rebounded them 45-25.
San Beda look to make it 11 in a row when they face the JRU Heavy Bombers on Friday, September 22, at 12:00nn. San Sebastian, on the other hand, hope to bounce back against the CSB Blazers on Thursday, September 21, at 4:00pm.
The Scores:
SBC 76 – Mocon 17, Potts 16, Bolick 11, Tankoua 8, Presbitero 8, Cabanag 6, Doliguez 5, Soberano 3, Adamos 2, Bahio 0, Abuda 0, Oftana 0, Tongco 0.
SSC-R 65 – Calisaan 23, Bulanadi 12, Gayosa 10, David 5, Ilagan 5, Baetiong 4, Calma 2, Navarro 2, Capobres 2, Costelo 0, Mercado 0, Valdez 0, Are 0
Quarterscores: 26-15, 42-36, 58-53, 76-65.
