Defending NCAA Seniors Basketball Champions San Beda University Red Lions did not let up against the Arellano University Chiefs, steamrolling the also-ran squad with the biggest whitewashing of the season so far, 90-52, Thursday afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
With the win, the twice-to-beat incentives in the NCAA Season 94 Seniors Basketball tournament are now sealed with San Beda and the Lyceum Pirates locking it up. Moreover, the Red Lions head into their match-up against the Pirates with a nine-game winning streak.
“At least kung twice-to-beat na kami, we will consider the rest of our elimination round games as playoff games. The teams are in the Final Four are really strong, just like what I said during the pre-season,” said decorated San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez as the Red Lions have gone up to a 15-1 slate. “Again, we are happy to be in the top two but we still have two games to go.”
Robert Bolick, who dropped 50 points against the Chiefs last August 24, chose to not score that much in the contest — deciding to play the role of playmaker in the first half of the contest. By the end of the first half, he already dished out seven assists.
The reigning Collegiate Player of the Year finished with 11 points, nine assists, and five rebounds.
His partner-in-crime Javee Mocon took the cudgels in the scoring department, scoring a game-high 24 points to go along with 11 rebounds.
“Siguro springboard sa amin ito going into the Lyceum guys, especially for our bench players. Kailangan namin silang lahat for that game,” added Mocon.
By the final frame, the Red Lions were already up big but still had their starters on the floor. And it is to prepare themselves for their games against the Lyceum Pirates and the Perpetual Altas.
“I can’t say that that is the finals preview. Perpetual and Letran beat Lyceum. For us, we will treat that game as a playoff game. We’ll try to mix up everything and be ready. It’s going to be a tough one for us, we just have to be ready,” Fernandez shared.
Arellano dropped to 5-11.
Dariel Bayla had 12 points and six rebounds while birthday boy Ian Alban added 10 points for Arellano.
San Beda will next face the Lyceum Pirates on Thursday, October 18. Arellano, on the other hand, takes on the Mapua Cardinals on Tuesday, October 16.
The Scores:
SBU 90 – Mocon 24, Bolick 11, Oftana 9, Tankoua 8, Doliguez 8, Canlas 6, Carino 5, Nelle 5, Soberano 5, Cuntapay 4, Presbitero 3, Eugene 2, Tongco 0, Abuda 0, Cabanag 0
AU 52 – Bayla 12, Alban 10, Canete 7, Alcoriza 6, Dela Torre 5, Concepcion 4, Dela Cruz 2, Segura 2, Sera Josef 2, Sacramento 2, Ongolo Ongolo 0, Codinera 0
Quarterscores: 22-15, 38-23, 60-37, 90-52
