Champs League: Lions roll back USC Warriors

San Beda hacked out an 85-75 triumph over University of San Carlos at the start of its Elite Eight campaign in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League Saturday night at Cebu City Coliseum.

Art dela Cruz, Baser Amer and Ola Adeogun came to the Red Lions’ rescue in the last six minutes after the USC Warriors rallied from 20 points down, 41-21, to tie the game at 67-all.

Dela Cruz, who topscored with 23 points, teamed up with Adeogun in the closing minutes as the Lions regained control by pouncing on the Warriors inside the paint.

Amer also shone by drilling a couple of three-pointers in a pivotal 14-2 run that shattered the deadlock at 67 and put the Lions up by 12 points, 81-69.

The Warriors absorbed their first loss after scoring back-to-back upsets over UAAP runner-up Far Eastern University, 88-74, and Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) champion Southwestern University, 74-68.

Amer finished with 14 points and Adeogun added 12 for the Lions.

Ian Tagapan, who fueled the Warriors’ huge second-half rallly, paced the Warriors with 20 points.

The Warriors try to stay in contention versus University of Visayas at 5:15 p.m. today, while Southwestern tangles with Arellano at 7 p.m. in the last game day in Cebu before the teams head to Manila for the Elite Eight’s last three playdates.

Only the top two teams at the end of the round will advance to the best-of-three championship series, while the next two squads will collide in a knockout duel for the third place.

Defending champion La Salle holds the solo lead with a 2-0 record.  Jasmine W. Payo

The scores:

SAN BEDA 85—Dela Cruz 23, Amer 14, Adeogun 12, Sara 11, Mendoza 5, Soberano 5, Tongco 4, Sorela 3, Presbitero 2, Tankou 2, Cabanag 1.
USC 75—Tagapan 20, Rabat 15, Toyambi 12, Olago 10, Magat 8, Arjon 7, Igna 2, Pepito 1.
Quarters: 24-17, 45-31, 63-53, 85-75