Nelle, Kwekuteye spark Lions victory

Evan Nelle hit a key triple that capped a strong finish sparked by James Kwekuteye as San Beda held off La Salle, 83-78, in Friday’s Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup action at Filoil Flying V Centre.

Nelle’s triple with 16.2 seconds remaining cemented the Red Lions’ fourth win in as many matches but Kwekuteye also proved instrumental as he bunched five straight points to give San Beda a 78-73 cushion going into the stretch.

La Salle dropped to 4-2.

Kwekuteye led San Beda with 20 points, 13 coming in the final quarter—including three triples. Nelle added 12 while Arnaud Noah chipped in 11.

Down four at the start of the final period, San Beda’s Clint Doliguez opened with a triple that kicked the Lions offense into high gear.

Andrei Caracut had a triple that had the Archers within two, 80-78, before Nelle drained the pivotal triple that cemented the win. Caracut led La Salle with 14 points while Justine Baltazar added 13.

In other matches, University of the Philippines demolished University of Santo Tomas, 89-72, while Far Eastern U booted out St. Benilde, 70-57.

The Maroons controlled the Tigers from the get-go, before Bright Akhuetie and Kobe Paras conspired late in the fourth to put the outcome beyond reach, 83-69, 2:11 to play.

“We talked about it before the game, at practice last night actually,” said UP assistant coach Ricky Dandan, who subbed for coach Bo Perasol, who was on his way back from a trip to Japan.