NCAA Final 4 unfolds today
Ryusei Koga of San Beda INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
San Beda and Letran swept their respective Final Four opponents in the elimination round of the 89th NCAA basketball tournament.
But as far as the coaches are concerned, those wins don’t count as the semifinal round finally unfolds today at SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Lions and Knights, who have 33 titles between them, brace for tough outings against the Perpetual Help Altas and the San Sebastian Stags, respectively, as they try to forge a championship duel for the second straight season.
“Any team can beat any team at this point,” said San Sebastian coach Topex Robinson, whose team has actually lost its last seven meetings with Letran since 2011.
San Beda and Letran own a twice-to-beat edge in the Final Four of what is now considered as the longest season in league history.
With the NCAA deciding to defer its decision on the alleged infraction of Ryusei Koga, the Lions shifted their focus on the fourth-seeded Altas, who have lost their last five games.
Up until Tuesday night, the Lions were unsure whether they will keep their top seed in the Final Four after Koga allegedly suited up in another league with the season ongoing that would have led to the forfeiture of their four wins in the second round.
Despite their woeful finish in the elimination round, the Altas, who lost to the Lions in the same stage last season, pose a big threat to the Lions, whom they pushed to the limit before losing, 76-78, in overtime in their second round meeting.
“They are a talented team and they can get hot any time,” said coach Boyet Fernandez, who boasts the deepest roster in the league. “We can’t allow them to get into their rhythm.”
Koga, who has started at shooting guard for most of the season, remains doubtful due to the controversy, but the Lions still have the most formidable roster in the league with Baser Amer, Ola Adeogun and Rome Dela Rosa at the helm.
The banged-up Altas got a reprieve with the close-to-two-week break before the Final Four.
And no one has benefited more from the break than Altas gunners Nosa Omorogbe and Juneric Baloria, who struggled with nagging injuries in the second round.
“We had time to work on our weaknesses,” said Baloria, who saw his scoring average dip in the last five games as the Altas went on a slump.
The Knights will be up against the hottest team in the league in the Stags, who prevailed in eight of their last 10 games, including in the playoff for third spot against the Altas last week.
The Knights will be led by big man Raymond Almazan, who is expected to be named Most Valuable Player of the season, after leading the league in rebounds (14.3) and blocks (2.7) and finishing sixth in scoring (14.7 points).
Players in contention for a slot in the mythical five with Almazan are San Beda center Ola Adeogun, Perpetual Help standouts Nosa Omorogbe and Harold Arboleda and Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Cedric Happi.
