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MANILA, Philippines – The San Beda Red Lions closed the men’s basketball tournament of the NCAA’s 90th season and won their fifth straight championship last month by blowing out the Arellano University Chiefs, 89-70.
On Tuesday, November 25, the Red Lions followed the same script by dominating the Chiefs once again, 87-68, at the Ynares Sports Arena to finish their 2014 Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Elite Eight round campaign at 3-1.
The victory booked San Beda a ticket to the finals of the 2014 PCCL tournament, where they will meet the De La Salle Green Archers. Game 1 is scheduled at 4 pm on Thursday, November 27, also at the Ynares Sports Arena.
Art Dela Cruz led the Red Lions with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists, while Baser Amer finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals despite failing to convert a field goal in the first half.
Ola Adeogun recorded 11 points and 6 rebounds, while Jaypee Mendoza had 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Arellano raced off to a quick start, building an eight-point lead in the first quarter en route to taking a 22-18 edge entering the second period. But slowly and surely, San Beda started to chip away at the deficit, and was down only by one, 35-34, at the half.
Like their victory over the NU Bulldogs on Monday, November 24, San Beda came out of the halftime break a team with more focus and precision.
Though they still allowed the Chiefs to score 19 points in the third period, San Beda was on fire on offense by continuously dumping the ball in the paint, putting up 28 total points in the quarter to take a double-digit lead to the final period, 62-54.
The Red Lions continued to build on their lead, and finally sealed the game with a little over four minutes to go when Adeogun faked out Arellano stretch big Dioncee Holts and converted a layup.
A few possessions later, Dela Cruz converted his patented floater in the lane to make the count 78-60 in favor of the Red Lions with just 3:35 to go.
Jiovanni Jalalon led the Chiefs, who finished 1-3 in the Elite Eight round, with 23 points, 9 assists, and 3 rebounds, while Holts had 12 points and 6 boards, but shot just 5-of-15 from the field.
As a team, San Beda shot 53% from the field, while Arellano converted just 37% of their shots. The Red Lions took only 7 3-balls all game long, making 4, while the Chiefs went 3-of-17 from downtown.
SBC also lived at the free throw line, making 33 of their 47 attempts.
San Beda will make their first ever PCCL finals appearance on Thursday against La Salle, who defeated the Red Lions, 61-56, last Friday, November 21, behind Jeron Teng’s 20-point, 9-rebound performance.
Both teams also met in the finals of the 2014 Hanes Flying V FilOil preseason tournament, which the Green Archers won, 71-66.
San Beda (87): Dela Cruz 20, Amer 16, Adeogun 11, Mendoza 10, Soberano 9, Tankoua 5, Presbitero 5, Koga 4, Sorela 4, Sara 3, Tongco 0
Arellano (68): Jalalon 23, Holts 12, Gumaru 10, Tano 6, Nicholls 6, Meca 4, Salcedo 3, Cadavis 2, Ortega 0, Enriquez 0, Bangga 0, De Guzman 0
Quarter Scoring: 18-22, 34-35, 62-54, 87-68
– Rappler.com
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