Art Dela Cruz. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
San Beda College can breathe a little easier now that its Final Four advantage is cast in stone.
The Red Lions hardly gave the Letran Knights enough room to operate for a methodical 77-73 win Tuesday night in the NCAA Season 91 men’s basketball at Filoil Flying V Arena.
“Our season is on the line; we simply didn’t want to lose,” said Ola Adeogun after San Beda entered the semifinals for the 10th straight season with a 13-5 card that gave the Lions the first twice-to-beat bonus.
But that seems to be the only thing settled as far as the Final Four is concerned, with as many as five teams still in the hunt for the No. 2 spot.
The Knights fell to 12-5 and a loss to Perpetual Help on Friday could trigger a five-team logjam at 12-6.
A Perpetual win also puts the Altas at 12-6. Arellano University, which brought down Emilio Aguinaldo College, 98-90, earlier behind the heroics of Jiovani Jalalon, climbed to 12-6.
Jalalon registered his fourth triple-double of the season after finishing with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Chiefs.
Mapua toppled College of St. Benilde, 77-72, in the day’s curtain-raiser to up its card to 11-6, tying idle Jose Rizal U. If both teams win their Friday encounter, they, too, emerge with the second-best record.
To break the deadlock in that scenario, the five teams will be ranked according to quotient and then play a stepladder playoffs until the three semifinal slots are filled, including the last twice-to-beat edge that will go to the No. 2 team.
San Beda extricated itself from that scramble as the Lions went on attack mode right from the start with Adeogun muscling his way inside and guards Amiel Soberano and Ryusei Koga hitting their shots for an 18-point cushion at intermission.
The scores:
First Game
MAPUA 77—Menina 17, Oraeme 15, Biteng 12, Serrano 9, Isit 8, Nieles 5, Brana 2, Que 0, Aguirre 0.
CSB 72—Saavedra 19, Ongteco 14, J. Domingo 10, Fajarito 7, Young 6, Jonson 5, Grey 4, S. Domingo 3, Sta. Maria 2, San Juan 2, Nayve 0, Deles 0, Castor 0, Flores 0.
Quarters: 18-11, 33-28, 54-48, 77-72
Second Game
ARELLANO 98—Jalalon 31, Nicholls 15, Enriquez 11, Salado 11, Gumaru 8, Meca 7, Holts 4, Cadavis 4, De Guzman 3, Bangga 2, Tano 2, Ongolo 0, Ortega 0, Zamora 0.
EAC 90—Onwubere 24, Hamadou 20, Munsayac 15, Mejos 13, General 8, Bonleon 5, Diego 5, Pascual 0, Corilla 0, Estacio 0.
Quarters: 26-16, 52-38, 74-61, 98-90
Third Game
SAN BEDA 77—Adeogun 13, Soberano 11, Amer 10, Tankoua 10, Koga 9,
Mocon 9, Dela Cruz 8, Tongco 3, Cabanag 2, Solera 2, Sara 0, Presbitero 0, Sedillo 0.
LETRAN 73—Nambatac 16, Cruz 12, Balanza 11, Luib 9, Quinto 8, Apreku 7, Racal 6, Sollano 2, Calvo 2, Publico 0.
Quarters: 19-15, 43-25, 61-48, 77-73