San Beda big men face acid test against Taha, Mapua

MANILA—A stern test awaits San Beda’s big men Friday when the unbeaten Lions tangle with the dangerous Mapua Cardinals in the 87th NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Lions, tied on top with San Sebastian, seek their seventh straight victory in the 4 p.m. match against the Cardinals, who are riding high on a two-game winning run.

Letran and guest team Lyceum, running third and fourth, respectively, collide in the first game at 2 p.m.
The Knights, with a 4-2 record, are looking to arrest a two-game slide that came after losses to powerhouse teams San Beda and San Sebastian while Lyceum returns to action after an 11-day break.

San Beda coach Frankie Lim has taken pride at the performance of his big men this season despite the absence of last year’s Most Valuable Player Sudan Daniel.

But the Lions’ frontline of Dave Marcelo, Jake Pascual, Kyle Pascual and David Semerad will get their toughest test yet in the Cardinals’ interior players in rookie Yousef Taha, Mark Sarangay and Mike Parala.

“Mapua has the big men to give us problems,” said San Beda coach Frankie Lim, whose Lions are still undefeated since the start of last season.

“This is where our scouting comes in. We have prepared well for them.”

Mapua dropped four straight games to open the season, but coach Chito Victolero feels he has a different, more confident team now.

“We are gaining confidence after our poor start,” said Victolero, who also attributed the change in mindset on his team through motivational talks by touted coaches Koy Banal, whose son, Jonathan, plays for the Cardinals, and his uncle, Joel Banal.

With his size, versatility and silky touch inside the paint, the 6-foot-7 Taha has proven to be a thorn for other teams.

His skills were in display last Monday as he helped Mapua overcome Arellano, 73-70, with timely baskets in the final minute, before Allan Mangahas buried the buzzer-beating triple to win the game.

The Lions overpowered the Knights, 77-62, the last time out behind the hot shooting of Garvo Lanete, who has averaged 26 points in the last two games.

The Knights are looking to improve after a lackluster showing against the Lions in a game where they only managed to close in at 10 points in the fourth quarter only to lose steam.

Against the Pirates, the Knights are favored with their experienced crew led by Kevin Alas, Jam Cortes, Jonathan Belorio and Franz Dysam.

Lyceum, the surprise package of the season after racing to four wins in seven games, had plenty of time to regroup after bowing to San Sebastian, 57-82, last July 25.

Lyceum big man Allan Santos, who watched his string of double-double games snapped against the Stags, is keen on bouncing back from an anemic four-point outing against San Sebastian.