Pride may just come into play when San Beda shoots for the 2014 National Collegiate Championship title in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) today.
The Red Lions, who are vying to replicate their masterful NCAA championship run this season, go for a sweep of the La Salle Green Archers in Game 2 of their best-of-three series at 4 p.m at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
In the first game, Cebu-based teams University of San Carlos and University of the Visayas dispute third place in a knockout duel at 2 p.m.
“We told the players that we’re the ‘five-peat’ champions [in the NCAA], so we have to show some pride,” said acting San Beda coach Adonis Tierra. “We can beat La Salle. But to do that, we have to give some extra effort.”
The Lions aim to become the only second NCAA team to rule the nationwide tournament since San Sebastian’s breakthrough romp in 2011.
Ola Adeogun hope to lead the Lions anew after coming through the clutch in their 88-81 scuttling of the Archers in Game 1 last Thursday.
Adeogun topscored with 20, while Baser Amer, Dan Sara, and Art Dela Cruz also played key roles as the Lions upended the defending champion Archers.
The Lions held La Salle star Jeron Teng to nine points but Tierra wants them to do a better job on big man Ben Mbala.
“Honestly, we were inconsistent against Mbala,” Tierra said of La Salle’s 6-foot-7 Cameroonian rookie.
“He’s an aggressive player, he can shoot outside, he can play post. So I told the players that every time he gets the ball, right away we should double him.”
Mbala shot a game-high 26 points, 22 in the second half of Game 1, where the Archers staged a late fightback before Adeogun put the Lions back in control.
Athletic items and scholarships worth P1 million are among the prizes for the champion team.