Lions rip Knights, grab NCAA lead

San Beda’s fired-up Red Lions ambushed the Letran Knights, 77-60, to grab the solo lead in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the FilOil-Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Garvo Lanete and Borgie Hermida fueled an early run that propped up the Lions by 16 points, 34-18, and San Beda coasted to a fourth straight victory that broke its leadership tie with idle San Sebastian.

“I thought it’s going to be close, but then again, we surprised them,” said San Beda coach Frankie Lim. “We gave them different looks and it paid off.”

Lanete finished with a game-high 22 points while Hermida added 16 markers, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Lions.

Earlier, rookie Rocky Acidre fueled a strong start as Arellano snapped a three-game skid with an 86-67 crushing of the hard-luck Perpetual Help.

Acidre drilled 12 of his game-high 24 points from beyond the arc to lead four Arellano players in double figures.

“We wanted to play deliberate basketball and control the tempo,” said coach Leo Isaac after his Chiefs improved to 2-3.

Adrian Celada shot 18 points and Isiah Ciriacruz added 14 as the Chiefs dealt the Altas their fifth straight setback.

The Knights absorbed their third loss in four games.

San Beda also remained unbeaten in four games in the junior division as the defending champion Red Cubs downed the winless Squires, 86-71.

Antonio Iñigo and RP youth standout Joshua Alolino combined for 46 points as Perpetual drubbed Arellano, 86-71, for a 3-1 card.

The seniors scores:

First Game

ARELLANO 86—Acidre 24, Celada 18, Ciriacruz 14, Zulueta 12, Lapuz 9, del Rosario 4, Advincula 3, Virtudazo 2, Caperal 0, Tayongtong 0.

PERPETUAL 67—Danganan 13, Alano 12, Ynion 12, Allen 11, Vidal 5, Arboleda 5, Jolangcob 3, Elopre 3, Sumera 2, Sison 0, Asuncion 0

Quarters: 27-22, 50-30, 65-53, 86-67

Second Game

SAN BEDA 77—Lanete 22, Hermida 16, Mendoza 8, Pascual J. 8, Semerad A. 6, Dela Rosa 6, Marcelo 6, Daniel 5, Villahermosa 0, Semerad D. 0, Pascual K. 0.

LETRAN 60—Dysam 11, Belencion 9, Alas Ke. 8, Cortes 6, Alas Kr. 6, Almazan 5, Taplah 5, Rodil 4, Espiritu 3, Pantin 2, Alejandro 1, Belorio 0.

Quarters: 22-13, 36-23, 58-44, 77-60