Stags nip Red Lions to end SBC's win streak

San Sebastian made sure San Beda's winning streak ends at 26.

Ronald Pascual and Calvin Abueva switch gears in the fourth period as San Sebastian College handed San Beda its first loss in two years with a 70-68 victory Friday in the 87th NCAA men's basketball tournament at the jampacked The Arena in San Juan City. Pascual tallied 23 points while Abueva added 23 markers including the go-ahead lay-up with two minutes left in the game that was more than enough for the Stags to complete a nine-game sweep of the first round. San Beda has not lost since suffering a 76-61 setback to San Sebastian in Game 2 of the 2009 NCAA Finals where the Golden Stags completed a two-game title sweep. The Red Lions also romped to an 18-game sweep including two victories against the Stags in the 2010 championship series to clinch the crown. They started Season 87 with eight victories before losing to the Stags. But for San Sebastian coach Topex Robinson, the victory isn't as big as what it is being hyped. "We just won half of the battle. Maybe until the championship that's the only time we are going to celebrate." "We played against a very good team it's was really good motivating this team to win. I'm just humbled by this experience," said Robinson. "We really prepared hard against San Beda and I credit our coach for preparing us for this game," said Pascual—who also added seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks—in Filipino. San Beda coach Frankie Lim credited San Sebastian for its stellar play down the stretch and also said that his team failed to execute in the crucial moments of the game. "It all boiled down to execution in the end. We know that it's going to be a tough game but we were also up against a strong team," said Lim. Pascual, who grabbed the rebound off his own miss, saw an unguarded Abueva underneath with the veteran forward making the go-ahead lay-up with two minutes and seven seconds left in the game. San Sebastian grabbed two offensive rebounds in that stretch the last of which Abueva translated into two points that put the Stags ahead in the tightly-fought contest before clamping down on defense in the final moments of the game. After Abueva's marginal lay-up, Jake Pascual was called for an offensive foul—his fifth and final—while Garvo Lanete missed a running shot. The Red Lions got the ball back with 24.9 seconds left, but Anjo Caram missed a quick jumper that led to a trip to the line by Ian Sangalang. Sangalang flubbed both free throws with 14.4 seconds left but San Sebastian denied San Beda's chance of escaping with the win when Dave Marcelo failed to connect on his three-point attempt. San Sebastian's Michael Miranda grabbed the rebound as the buzzer sounded and the San Sebastian crowd erupted into jubilant celebration. Pascual actually gave the Stags the early lead when his back-to-back three-pointers highlighted an 8-0 spurt in the second period for a 32-23 lead—the largest of the game. The first half ended with San Sebastian ahead, 34-27. The biggest lead of the fourth was at three when Pascual netted three free throws for a 68-65 contest but Marcelo tied the game on a three-point play with 2:41 left. - JVP, GMA News