The San Beda College Red Lions are in a familiar position once again.
Behind the backcourt tandem of Dan Sara and AC Soberano, San Beda blitzed the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 91-76, to share the top spot in the NCAA Season 92 Seniors Basketball Tournament Tuesday afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
Dan Sara missed the game due to a fractured finger he sustained during a tune-up match against the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Stepping up in his place was junior floor general and co-captain Ranbill Tongco.
Tongco scored 11 markers in a huge third quarter spurt that broke the game wide-open, as the San Beda lead grew to as high as 21 points, 65-54, with 1:58 remaining in the quarter.
“I’m just stepping up for Dan. As a co-captain,” said Tongco, who scored 22 points on 9-for-12 shooting from the field. “When the captain is not around you have to step-up.”
AC Soberano also broke out of his shooting slump, knocking down five triples in the game en route to a 21-point outing.
“Credit to my teammates kasi kahit two games na off ako may tiwala sila sa akin,” said Soberano, who broke the Premier Cup record for three-points made last Summer. “Nung first two games, ako eager talaga ako. Nag-usap usap kam, nag-focus muna ako sa game ko at hindi lang sa offense.”
The Generals never caught a break in the final frame, settling for basket exchanges against the high-powered San Beda offense.
“We shot well today,” said San Beda head coach Jamike Jarin, as the Red Lions shot 40.45 percent from the field in the game. “These two [Soberano and Tongco] are the ones who shot well today. That’s why we were able to go ahead against EAC.”
“Hopefully, everything comes into place.”
Hamadou Laminou once again led the Generals’ stand. The foreign student-athlete scored 18 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and swatted away four shots. Four other Generals scored in double-figures, with Francis Munsayac scoring 13 points (4-for-17 from the field), Sidney Onwubere chipping in 12, and Remy Morada and Igee King adding 11 and 10 points respectively.
However, the Pirates were greatly out-rebounded, 62-42, that led to a 17-to-8 advantage in second chance points for the Red Lions.
San Beda (3-0, T-1st) next face the Benilde Blazers on Friday, July 15 at 11:45am. The EAC Generals (1-2, 7th) look to bounce back on the same day as they face Mapua.
The Scores:
SBC (91) – Tongco 22, Soberano 21, Potts 13, Presbitero 8, Mocon 7, Bolick 5, Tankoua 4, Oftana 4, Alas 4, Noah 2, Bonsubre 1, Navarro 0, Carlos 0, Adamos 0.
EAC (76) – Laminou 18, Munsayac 13, Onwubere 12, Morada 11, King 10, Pascua 7, Corilla 3, Diego 2, Mendoza 0, Aguas 0, Guzman 0, Neri 0, Serrano 0, Estacio 0, General 0.
Quarterscores: 20-13, 40-34, 71-53, 91-76.
