Red Lions blast Perez-less Pirates in NCAA Finals opener

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Defending champion San Beda dominated a Lyceum side sorely missing its star CJ Perez, 73-60, in Game 1 of the NCAA Season 94 men’s basketball Finals Tuesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Javee Mocon set the tone for the Red Lions, who raced to an early double-digit lead that ballooned to as high as 27 in the fourth quarter, en route to a double-double effort with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Robert Bolick had a tough shooting night but got his teammates involved and still came away with 12 points and nine assists.

“We only achieved one thing and that’s winning Game 1. We haven’t done anything yet,” San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez told reporters. 

“They (Lyceum) lost their number one scorer, their number player. it’s a different LPU team but again as i’ve said, with or without CJ, Lyceum is still a dangerous team,” Fernandez said.

Lyceum needed every bit of Perez, who leads the league in scoring averaging 18.7 points on top of 8.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.3 steals a game. The do-it-all forward served a one-game suspension for failing to notify the league that he had applied for this year’s PBA Draft.

The Pirates showed some fight in the fourth quarter when they trimmed the deficit to only 10, 70-60, led by Mike Nzeusseu and Jaycee Marcelino but it was a case of too little too late.

“I’m happy with the way we bounced back [in the fourth quarter]. We did not roll over and die,” Lyceum coach Topex Robinson said.

Nzeusseu finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds while Marcelino added 13 points, five rebounds and three assists.

The Red Lions shoot for their 22nd men’s basketball crown in Game 2 on Monday still at MOA Arena.