NCAA: ‘Baste’ back on track, secures twice-to-beat bonus

Denied of a sweep and an outright finals berth, San Sebastian made sure it would go into the 85th NCAA men’s basketball Final Four armed with the twice-to-beat advantage by beating Jose Rizal, 84-78, in Wednesday’s heated match at The Arena in San Juan. As always, MVP contender Jimbo Aquino delivered when the game was on the line but the Stags also got a gem of a game from second stringer Edward Semira in posting win no. 16 and bouncing back from a loss that halted their 15-game win run. “After our first loss, I told the players we’re in danger of finishing third if we don’t do something about it," said San Sebastian Ato Agustin, referring to their 63-80 setback at the hands of the Letran Knights a week ago. And his wards did something about it, indeed. Aquino scored four of his game-high 20 points in the stretch and Semira made five of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, including a jumper that secured for the Stags the win-once bonus in the semis. San Sebastian could clinch the top seeding in the Final Four and arrange a showdown with No. 4 Letran if it could repeat over reigning three-peat titlist San Beda in the final game of the elimination round on Oct. 12. Wednesday’s matchup turned ugly when San Sebastian’s Calvin Abueva and Jose Rizal’s Marvin Hayes, both Amerasians, got into each nerves late in the third period. Abueva was slapped with an unsportsmanlike foul, his fifth and final foul, for pushing Hayes, who escaped a call from the referees. Players rushed to the court and game officials eventually tossed San Sebastian’s Gilbert Bulawan out for bench clearing. The Bombers, who were led by 14 points each from MVP race leader John Wilson and Hayes, dropped to 14-3. Earlier, St. Benilde downed Perpetual Help, 67-59, in a non-bearing game to improve to 6-11. The Altas closed out the season toting a 3-15 card. In juniors’ action, Perpetual Help smashed CSB, 88-64, to surge past Jose Rizal for solo fourth place with an 11-7 record. Jose Rizal dropped a 63-66 decision to reigning three-peat titlist San Sebastian to fall from No. 4 to No. 5 with a 10-7 card. - GMANews.TV