By: Arjohn Roxas
San Beda University wasted no time avenging last season’s heartbreak, overpowering De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, 96-85, to open their NCAA Season 101 Seniors Basketball campaign on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Blazers, who eliminated the Red Lions in last season’s Final Four, were determined to repeat, but San Beda’s balanced attack proved too much to handle.
“Hindi naman sa nagulat ako, pero last year tinalo kami niyan [CSB], Filoil tinambakan kami ng 40 points, so we knew what to expect,” San Beda coach Yuri Escueta said.
“I have to give it to the players—they really bought into our preparations coming into this season. But it’s still a long season—one win doesn’t bring you to the playoffs, one loss doesn’t end your season. It’s just the first day of the NCAA. This is a welcome win for us, very important, especially for the team’s confidence.”
San Beda led by 10 after the third quarter and extended the advantage to 14 in the fourth, thanks to a pivotal 16-5 run bridging the third and fourth periods.
Janti Miller, Yukien Andrada, and RC Calimag spearheaded the surge, turning a precarious 60-58 lead into a commanding 76-63 advantage, which the Red Lions eventually padded to 86-69.
CSB attempted a late rally, trimming the deficit to six, 91-85, but San Beda held firm to close out the game.
Nine Red Lions scored at least five points, with four hitting double digits, reflecting their depth and teamwork. J
Bryan Sajonia led the charge with 16 points and three steals, while Miller contributed 16 points and six rebounds.
Jimmy Reyes had an efficient night, scoring 13 points on 75-percent shooting while adding five rebounds.
Senior forward Andrada overcame a slow start to finish with 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
“That’s the promise I made to Yuki when he said he was returning this year. He could have easily signed with a PBA team, but he committed to San Beda. Without even talking to him, he was all in, so I promised him I’d do everything I could as a coach to make his final season here worth it,” Escueta said about Andrada, who was drafted as the sixth overall pick by Magnolia in the 2025 PBA Draft.
On the Blazers’ side, Justine Sanchez was unstoppable, leading all scorers with 24 points on 66-percent shooting.
Ian Torres added 13 points, four assists, three steals, and two rebounds.
Reigning NCAA MVP Allen Liwag battled through struggles for much of the game but still posted a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds, alongside four assists and three steals, though it wasn’t enough to rally the Blazers.
“Our goal is really to just win our first game of the season,” Escueta said. “Siyempre, kailangan namin bumawi—not just against CSB, but we want to win the championship back.”
With a statement win to kick off their campaign, San Beda now turns its attention to archrival Colegio de San Juan de Letran, set to face the Knights on Sunday, October 5, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
The Scores:
San Beda 96 – Sajonia 16, Miller 16, Reyes 13, Andrada 11, Etulle 9, Gonzales 8, Calimag 7, Celzo 6, Bonzalida 4, Culdora 4, Lina 2, Estacio 0
Benilde 85 – Sanchez 24, Torres 13, Liwag 12, Ancheta 8, Celis 6, Oli 6, Cometa 4, Cojucom 4, Moore 3, Morales 3, Gaspay 2, Umali 0, Eusebio 0, Daja 0
Quarterscores: 26-30, 48-45, 71-61, 96-85.
