San Beda University shook off a sluggish start to turn De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde back, 84-81, in the do-or-die Game 3 of NCAA Season 101 Final Four on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The win set up a highly-anticipated rivalry finals match between San Beda and Colegio de San Juan de Letran, their first championship face-off since Season 95 in 2019.
Graduating team captain Yuki Andrada made good on his promise at the start of the season of bringing San Beda back to the finals after a Final Four loss to the same team last year, dropping big baskets in the crucial fourth period to finish with a team-high 27 points laced with four rebounds, one assist, and one block.
Janti Miller returned from a brief absence in Game 2 and poured 26 markers together with six boards and two steals while Bryan Sajonia supplied the help with 10 points, six boards, and three assists.
The three gunners connived as San Beda denied Benilde its supposed third Finals appearance in the last four seasons.
Benilde looked all ready to march to the finals in the first three quarters with Game 2 hero and veteran guard Tony Ynot each firing a triple to bring the Blazers to a 64-56 cushion in the third.
Andrada then came alive in the final period, opening the frame with a huge triple before Nygel Gonzales completed a three-point play that pulled them to within two, 67-69.
The San Beda team captain fired his second triple of the quarter before Miller’s own three-point play put San Beda ahead by three as Sajonia converted a triple to send them to a pivotal 78-72 cushion.
The red-hot Andrada connected on another three-pointer, but reigning MVP Allen Liwag made it a one-point game off a and-one sequence, 81-80. Benilde then just collapsed in the endgame as Andrada and Miller sealed the deal to set up a finals date with the Knights.
Scores:
San Beda 84 – Andrada 27, Miller 26, Sajonia 10, Gonzales 7, Puno 6, Celzo 4, Lina 4, Reyes 0, Etulle 0, Estacio 0, Songcuya 0.
Benilde 81 – Ynot 18, Celis 14, Torres 12, Liwag 10, Cajucom 10, Ancheta 7, Umali 6, Sanchez 4, Morales 0, Gaspay 0, Cometa 0.
Quarters: 21-26, 34-45, 59-64, 84-81.
—JKC, GMA integrated News
