Lions trounce Pirates, nail Final 4 berth

OLA Adeogun of San Beda challenges Joseph Gabayni of Lyceum. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

The San Beda Red Lions are taking away the suspense and drama in their remaining elimination-round games in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament.

Days after roughing up the Letran Knights, the defending champion Red Lions tore down the Lyceum Pirates, 76-60, yesterday to secure a place in the Final Four at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Lions roared to their 13th victory with three games left in their schedule left despite getting little help from Ola Adeogun.

Adeogun, a hulking 6-foot-9 center, was saddled by early fouls and spent most of the game on the bench.

Prince Caperal had 18 points on 9 of 11 field-goal shooting as the Arellano Chiefs inched closer to the Final Four with a 105-88 win over the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals in the second game.

The Chiefs notched their 11th win in 15 games while the Generals fell deeper in the cellar at 3-12. John Tayongtong had 25 points for the Generals.

Riding on the collective effort of Anthony Semerad, Baser Amer, Art Dela Cruz and Kyle Pascual, San Beda hardly felt Adeogun’s absence in clinching the school’s ninth straight Final Four appearance.

“I told Ola that he has to keep his cool every game and handle his emotions,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez.

“Good thing the other guys were there to help us get the win.”

With the Lions just slightly ahead, 24-18, early in the second period, Adeogun was assessed with a technical for complaining following an unsportsmanlike foul triggered by the rugged defense of the Pirates.

Fernandez was forced to bench his prized center for extended minutes and turned to the rest of his dependable crew.

Successive threes by Semerad and Amer combined with Pascual’s three-point play pushed the Lions out front, 57-37, and the Lions expertly quelled all Lyceum uprising from there.

The Pirates bowed out of the Final Four for good after taking their ninth defeat in 15 games.

The scores:

First Game

SAN BEDA 76—De La Cruz 18, A. Semerad 13, Amer 9, Adeogun 9, Mendoza 8, Pascual 7, Tongco 5, Koga 4, Sara 2, D. Semerad 1, Mocon 0.

LYCEUM 60—Gabayni 22, Baltazar 8, Taladua 7, Zamora 6, Malabanan 5, Mbbida 5, Elmejrab 3, Bulawan 2, Maconocido 2, Pamulaklakin 0, Soliman 0, Lesmoras 0.

Quarters: 19-14, 35-28, 57-42, 76-60

Second Game

ARELLANO U 105—Caperal 18, Enriquez 12, Nicholls 11, Holts 11, Agovida 10, Hernandez 8, Jalalon 7, Ciriacruz 6, Palma 6, Pinto 0, Gumaru 4, Bangga 4, Cadavis 2, Ortega 0.

EAC 88—Tayongtong 25, Serrano 15, Jamon 12, General 9, Onwubere 8, Saludo 7, Mejos 6, Quilanita 4, Pascual 2, Santos 0, Arquero 0.

Quarters: 24-13, 55-34, 85-57, 105-88