SAN BEDA neutralized Jose Rizal U’s offense in the second half for a 67-45 victory last night that tightened the Lions’ grip of top spot in the 88th NCAA basketball tournament at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
Bent on sealing top spot and the twice-to-beat incentive that goes with it in the Final Four, the Lions stormed back from an early deficit by holding the Bombers to just 17 points in the last two quarters and moved to within a victory of a postseason berth with an 11-2 card.
“It’s the second round and we cannot afford to lose if we want that No. 1 spot,” said forward Jake Pascual, who joined forces with Baser Amer in spearheading the Lions’ breakaway in the third period.
The Bombers, like Perpetual Help, dropped to 8-5.
Emilio Aguinaldo College caught fire in the final period and nosed out Perpetual Help, 73-71, in the first game.
The Generals climbed out of a 17-point hole in the second half with a flurry of triples in the fourth quarter to stave off the Altas’ last ditch charge and went on to score only their fifth win in 13 games.
The scores:
First Game
EAC 73—Jamon 20, Paguia 11, Tayongtong 10, Monteclaro 6, Happi 6, Morada 5, King 5, Chiong 5, Yaya 3, Sanchez 2., Munsayac 0.
PERPETUAL HELP 71—Thompson 17, Vidal 15, Allen 13, Omorogbe 10, Alano 8, Paulino 3, Arboleda 3, Jolangcob 2, Elopre 0, Babayemi 0.
Quarters: 14-15, 33-41, 50-56, 73-71
Second Game
SAN BEDA 67—Adeogun 15, Dela Cruz 13, Pascual 12, Amer 9, K. Pascual 7, Koga 4, Caram 4, Ludovice 3, Villaruz 0, Bonsubre 0, Lim 0, Dela Rosa 0.
JRU 45—Villarias 12, Carampil 11, Dela Paz 9, Mabulac 4, Lopez 4, Munez 2, Mendoza 2, Matute 1, Porter 0, Diapera 0, Almario 0.
Quarters: 10-17, 26-28, 51-37, 67-45