Lions, Knights forge rematch in NCAA finals
SAN Beda’s Ola Adeogun (center) bungles a potentially heady play off a Perpetual Help double-team in yesterday’s game. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
The season is getting way too long and San Beda and Letran decided to rush things up a little bit.
The long-time rivals disposed of their respective Final Four opponents yesterday and forged a title showdown for the 89th NCAA basketball championship for the second straight year.
The four-peat seeking Red Lions struck hardest in the fourth quarter to oust the Perpetual Help Altas, 70-51, while the Knights swept past the San Sebastian Stags, 85-58, at Mall of Asia Arena.
The league had already scheduled a possible rubber match tomorrow but the Lions, the top semifinalist, and the Knights, the No. 2 qualifier, were bent on cutting short a season that several postponements have extended for at least four weeks.
Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series is on Monday.
The Lions benched Ryusei Koga, who was accused of breaking rules by playing in another league during the season, but the absence of the 5-foot-7 guard, who averaged six points per game, hardly mattered as San Beda pulled away in the fourth to seal another crack at a league-best 18th title.
Earlier, Letran booked its second straight finals appearance by dominating San Sebastian behind yet another MVP-like performance of PBA-bound Raymond Almazan, who fell just one block short of a triple double feat.
The 6-foot-7 Almazan, drafted third overall by Rain or Shine, posted 19 points, 23 rebounds and nine blocks.
“I’m not thinking of winning any award. If we don’t win the title, everything will be useless,” said Almazan, 24, in Filipino.
The scores:
First Game
LETRAN 85—Cruz 19, Almazan 19, Racal 16, Nambatac 13, Tambeling 7, Olotu 3, Castro 2, Po 2, Ruaya 2, Luib 2, Belorio 0, Gabawan 10, Publico 0.
SAN SEBASTIAN 58—Perez 11, Dela Cruz 10, De Vera 10, Ortuoste 10, Huinto 8, Aquino 4, Rebollos 3, Vergara 2, Balucanag 0, Gusi 0, Padilla 0, Trinidad 0, Balid 0, Tano 0, Magno 0.
Quarters: 17-10, 32-27, 57-44, 85-58
Second Game
SAN BEDA 70—Adeogun 11, Dela Cruz 11, Sara 9, Dela Rosa 9, Amer 8, D. Semerad 7, Pascual 6, Ludovice 4, Abarcar 3, A. Semerad 2, Mendoza 0, Bonsubre 0.
PERPETUAL 51—Alano 12, Omorogbe 7, Jolangcob 7, Arboleda 6, Paulino 6, Baloria 6, Oliveria 4, Elopre 3, Thomson 0, Ylagan 0, Bantayan 0, Bitoy 0.
Quarters: 11-9, 21-25, 38-37, 70-51
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