NCAA: Red Lions smother Generals for 3-0 start

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Defending champion San Beda locked down on defense in the third quarter en route to a 61-46 romp of Emilio Aguinaldo College to stay undefeated in the NCAA Season 94 men’s basketball tournament.

The Red Lions shook off a slow start and shut down the Generals, who only scored eight points in the third period.

Robert Bolick led all scorers with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field on top of six assists and two steals.

“I’m happy with the way the boys played. It’s our defense that really stepped up today,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez, who celebrated his 47th birthday on Monday. “We knew EAC is a really good third quarter team and we held them to eight points.”

“We also know EAC is one of the best rebounding team in the league and we limited them to 33. We limited Laminou to just two rebounds the whole game,” said Fernandez, referring to the Generals’ center Hamadou Laminou.

Laminou, who entered the game averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds, finished with only nine points and two boards.

San Beda, which rolled to its third straight win, opened the third quarter with eight unanswered points capped by a basket by Bolick.

Lions big man Donald Tankoua flirted with a double-double, collecting nine points and 10 rebounds.

San Beda, which led by as much as 21, won big despite shooting 47 percent from the free throw line, making just 11 out of its 23 attempts.

The Red Lions’ vaunted defense also forced the Generals (0-4) to turn the ball over 29 times.