San Sebastian locks twice-to-beat edge; JRU completes NCAA final four

Bobby Balucanag of SSC (in yellow) grabs the ball from behind Onofre Napiza of Lyceum. AUGUST DELA CRUZ/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines – A vindictive San Sebastian snared the first twice-to-beat edge as it slammed Lyceum in a 80-68 triumph, which also completed the final four cast Wednesday in the 87^th NCAA seniors basketball competition.

The Stags, nailing their 16th win, booted the Pirates out of contention for the final four even as Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, toting a 9-7 card, got a free ride to the semifinals.

“It was about bouncing back after that loss,” said San Sebastian head coach Robinson, whose squad was coming off a stinging 81-82 loss to Letran last Friday.

“We still have a game left, but what’s important is we assured ourselves of the twice-to-beat edge,” added Robinson.

The troika of Calvin Abueva. Ian Sanggalang and Ronald Pascual were – as usual – were unstoppable in disposing of Lyceum, which missed its chance of making history by entering the final four on its first year in the league.

Abueva, underscoring the victory with 18 points and 12 rebounds, pulled the trigger in the fourth quarter and unleashed nine of his squad’s last 12 points.

The league-leading MVP candidate Abueva uncorked an unlikely triple from top-of-the-key that halted the Pirates’ brief resistance in the fourth quarter and swung the lead back to double digits, 73-62.

“We saved something for San Beda, but it didn’t mean that we were complacent against Lyceum,” said Robinson of his squad’s performance.

Lyceum, which opened up the season guns ablaze until its suffered a string of losses in the latter part, managed to chip away a 19-point deficit in the third to just four points, 66-62, with two minutes gone by in the fourth.

But the Pirates came up short on their comeback as they kept on jacking up – and missing – the triples which, at first, were able to buy them back in the game.

Onofre Napiza and Mark Francisco finished with 13 and 10 points, respectively for Lyceum while top marskman Chris Cayabyab, whose triple in the payoff period put them within four, pitched in seven points.

The Stags, though, are still not a lock for the top spot with only defending champion San Beda (14-2) standing in their way. The Knights (14-3), meanwhile, still have the other twice-to-beat incentive in sight.

While the four teams gear for the crucial semifinals stretch, Perpetual Help concluded its campaign in season 74 by mopping up Arellano, 77-60, in the other game.

The Altas, in pushing tougher teams to the hilt this year, still failed to rise from the basement and finished last anew with five wins and 13 losses – but a commendable improvement from last season’s 2-14 card.

Justine Alano, George Allen and Jet Vidal all churned out double digits for Perpetual Help, which simply blew by the hapless Arellano side by leading as big as 23 points in the third period.