Lions complete ‘5-peat’

PLAYERS, coaches, team personnel and supporters celebrate San Beda’s latest championship. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

It was an ending all too familiar in the NCAA the past five seasons; but for the San Beda Red Lions, it’s something that never gets old.

Fierce and fearless, the Red Lions extended their reign in the country’s oldest collegiate league in style yesterday, crushing the Arellano Chiefs, 89-70, to complete a sweep of the Season 90 championship series before a roaring crowd at Mall of Asia Arena.

Picking the best time to deliver, PBA-bound Anthony Semerad fired a career-high 30 points, including 12 in the final period, while ace playmaker Baser Amer dished out a season-best 13 assists as the Lions finished another banner season with a flourish.

Earlier, the San Beda Red Cubs kept their title retention bid alive with a 78-68 dumping of the Mapua Red Robins to send the best-of-three series for the juniors’ crown to a winner-take all match on Saturday.

It was the Lions’ fifth straight title, matching the feat of the great San Sebastian team that reigned in the league from 1993 to 1997. One of the most dominant collegiate basketball programs in the country also netted an eighth title in nine seasons and a record 19th title overall.

“This championship is all about the players who’ve worked so hard and the San Beda community that has supported us,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez. “They made history and that’s credit to them.”

Semerad’s early explosion helped San Beda seize control, and the Filipino-Australian was also the Lions’ defensive linchpin, almost singlehandedly shutting down the Chiefs’ backcourt on his way to his first Finals Most Valuable Player honor.

“Anthony transformed from an offensive player to our best defensive player in the finals,” said Fernandez.

The Chiefs kept in step with the Lions early on, but San Beda ripped the game wide open in the second period with Dan Sara drilling two straight triples and Semerad also nailing one to push the Red Lions’ lead to 31-16. Amer, the hero in the 74-66 win in Game 1, shone in the first half surge with 11 of his 13 assists coming in the first two periods.

Despite employing a full-court press for almost the entire third period, the Chiefs couldn’t come closer than seven points, 41-48, as the Lions found an answer each time they threatened.

Kyle Pascual put the icing on the win with six straight points to extend the lead to 74-59 with six minutes remaining as Arellano desperately tried to climb its way back. Still, it was the best finish by the Chiefs since joining the league in 2009.

The scores:

SAN BEDA 89—A. Semerad 30, Pascual 16, Adeogun 15, Dela Cruz 12, Mendoza 6, Sara 6, Amer 4, Koga 0, D. Semerad 0, Tongco 0.

ARELLANO U 70—Agovida 22, Ciriacruz 15, Jalalon 6, Hernandez 6, Enriquez 6, Holts 6, Pinto 3, Salcedo 2, Bangga 2, Ortega 2, Gumaru 0, Nicholls 0, Caperal 0, Cadavis 0.

Quarters: 22-14, 39-25, 63-52, 89-70