Cautious but determined right from the start, the Red Lions tore down Letran, with a masterful 75-63 win on Tuesday giving them their 15th straight win and at least a tie for No. 1 spot in the Final Four of Season 95 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
“I’m always nervous every time we play Letran. They always keep us on our toes,” said coach Boyet Fernandez after the unbeaten Lions dealt the Knights their sixth loss in 15 games.
Calvin Oftana, the leading MVP contender, joined forces with Clint Doliguez and James Canlas, but it was the contribution of crafty guard Evan Nelle who made life burdensome for the Knights.
Nelle, who is likewise in contention for season MVP honors, was all over the floor with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals while distributing the wealth, so to speak, with seven assists.
As Fernandez watched his team take an early lead behind Donald Tankoua, JB Bahio and Doliguez, the decorated San Beda mentor also saw the Lions fumble at the start of the second half.
But after the Knights finally knotted the count at 42 through the efforts of brawny center Larry Muyang and Jerrick Balanza, the Lions went on a 20-0 tear that practically took the fight out of their opponents.
“We recovered by bringing back our defensive mindset. We made several crucial stops and had a big run on the other end,” said Fernandez after the Lions registered their 29th straight win dating back to last season.
Wonder twins Jaycee and Jayvee Marcelino proved to be the catalyst that Lyceum needed as the Pirates continued their winning ways in a hard-fought 77-71 victory over the Mapua Cardinals later.
The Marcelino siblings combined for 24 points and had three steals, all of them in a crucial stretch in the fourth when the Cardinals threatened to steal the game away.
Mike Nzeusseu controlled the paint for the Pirates throughout as the Lyceum pivotman was just too big, too powerful for the Cardinals, whose defeat sent them out of the top four at the moment with a 7-7 record.
The Pirates, losing finalists the past two seasons, moved within a game away from clinching a third straight Final Four appearance.
Jethro Mendoza unloaded five threes in a decisive stretch to lift Emilio Aguinaldo past Perpetual Help, 80-76, in the other game.
After Mendoza fired those triples and finished with 22 points, JP Maguliano sealed the second straight victory of the Generals by splitting his free throws in the dying seconds.
The Generals improved to 3-11 and won for the first time against the Altas in their last six meetings since Season 93.
Tonton Peralta fired 21 points to lead Perpetual (3-10).
The Scores:
SAN BEDA 75—Oftana 16, Doliguez 13, Nelle 12, Canlas 12, Bahio 6, Soberano 6, Tankoua 4, Carino 4, Visser 2, Abuda 0, Noah 0, Cuntapay 0.
LETRAN 63—Muyang 13, Caralipio 11, Balanza 11, Ambohot 9, Reyson 5, Ular 4, Mina 3, Balagasay 3, Batiller 2, Pambid 2, Yu 0, Sangalang 0, Javillonar 0.
Quarters: 24-16, 42-34, 62-42, 75-63