San Beda defeats JRU, claims solo NCAA lead

MANILA, Philippines – San Beda College secured the top spot in the team standings of the NCAA Season 91 men’s senior basketball tourney by thumping Jose Rizal University, 83-75, on Thursday, September 3 at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.

PBA-bound Art Dela Cruz had a triple-double performance, registering 25 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists to put the Mendiola-based Red Lions on solo lead with a win-loss record of 10-2.

Aside from Dela Cruz, Nigerian reinforcement Ola Adeogun amassed a double-double output of 23 markers and 12 boards.

Meanwhile, Baser Amer made his return after being sidelined for nearly two months due to a shoulder injury and collected five assists and four rebounds.

“Baser is another weapon for us. If Art continues to play the way he is, then it can only be good for us,” San Beda head coach Jamike Jarin said in the post-game interview.

However, San Beda’s victory over JRU was not a walk in the park as the Heavy Bombers kept it a close contest against the red-and-white troop in four quarters.

Bernabe “Teytey” Teodoro, who went scoreless in the first two quarters, made his presence felt in the second half, where he rattled in 16 markers and mounted a personal 8-0 run to take a 69-67 cushion for JRU with 6:53 ticks left in the fourth canto.

Adeogun responded to JRU’s fourth quarter surge and nailed four points in a 15-2 blitz that placed San Beda ahead of Vergel Meneses’ crew, 82-71, inside the last two minutes of the regulation.

Despite the best efforts of Paolo Pontejos, who scored 19 points in the match versus San Beda, JRU downgrades its league slate to 6-5 and ties with Mapua Institute of Technology at fifth place.

Scores:

San Beda (83) -Dela Cruz 26, Adeogun 23, Tankoua 10, Sara 8, Koga 5, Soberano 4, Tongco 3, Cabanag 2, Mocon 2

JRU (75) – Pontejos 19, Teodoro 16, Grospe 10, Lasquety 7, Poutouochi 6, Cruz 4, Abdul Wahab 4, Sanchez 3, Dela Virgen 3. Dela Paz 2, Astilla 1

Quarter scores: 21-16, 36-32, 64-60, 83-75

– Rappler.com