FilOil: Green Archers seek payback against Red Lions

The San Beda College Red Lions face off against the De La Salle University Green Archers in the semifinals of the FilOil Flying-V Preseason Cup on Saturday at the San Juan Arena. Both teams posted resounding wins in the previous rounds, with the Archers dispatching the San Sebastian College Golden Stags, 84-70, and the Red Lions mauling the College of Saint Benilde Blazers, 80-41. Belonging to separate collegiate leagues gives little in recent history to build a rivalry on, but these Archers have every reason to fletch their arrows against the reigning NCAA champions. San Beda, undefeated in Group A with an 8-0 record, had a hand in dropping La Salle to third (5-3) when they clashed in the season opener as the Red Lions escaped with a 69-63 win. The Taft-based dribblers used a 29-point fourth quarter to fill in a 16-point hole, but they simply ran out of time. San Beda guard Anjo Caram closed the game at the line, sinking two charities to extend the lead to six points with one possession left for the Archers. The veteran Red Lions coasted over most opponents in the league, posting an average winning margin of 18 points. But the win over La Salle was one of two single-digit victories for them, the other being a two-point thriller against the defending FilOil titlists, the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles. Facing San Beda eight games later is a litmus test of sorts to see if the Archers have made strides in eight games since the loss.

San Beda College (1st in Group A)	PER GAME AVERAGES	De La Salle University (3rd in Group A)
74.8	Points	70.2
56.8	Points allowed	65.8
44	Field goal (%)	37
14.4	Three-point shots attempted	13
47.3	Total rebounds	45.9
13.1	Offensive rebounds	14.3
18.8	Assists	14.6
2.6	Blocks	4.3
4.7	Steals	4.3
17.4	Turnovers	16.4
20	Fouls	20.4
15.4	Fast break points	8.3
14.1	Turnover points	10.6
19.9	Three-point attempts allowed	12.8
66.9	Field goal attempts allowed	64.3
19	Free throw attempts allowed	23.2
9.4	Fast break points allowed	7.9

La Salle is no defensive slouch, ranking in the top four teams in opponents' field goals and percentage made. But this game might answer the question of what happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force. As the CSB Blazers learned last Wednesday, the Red Lions are a lethal scoring machine. San Beda ranks among the top three in field goals made and shooting percentage, owing to their advantage inside and ability to convert opponents' miscues into points. Teams have bore witness to outlet passes rifled to Rome Dela Rosa and Baser Amer as they tore up the open court. The Archers' chink in the armor comes from their inability to create the same scoring opportunities. Under Gee Abanilla, La Salle seems to be on a tighter defensive leash. Unlike previous hellhound incarnations of the team, their defensive schemes seem to be more focused on forcing misses than creating bonus possessions. Both teams boast of centers that are imposing deterrents against any incursions into the lane. Nigerian center Ola Adeogun is a more polished product at this point than Norbert Torres, La Salle’s lead big man. While Torres may have an advantage in terms of range, Adeogun is a quality physical specimen with the ability to leap over most bigs and has the moves on the low block to complement his aggressiveness. Backed by Jake and Kyle Pascual, they promise to give Torres, Jovet Mendoza and Yutien Andrada problems down low. Given that veteran Dela Rosa has been doing a bit of everything from the small forward spot as well, San Beda holds a decisive frontcourt edge. One advantage that La Salle does have is that Julius Armon's departure from the Red Lions creates a sizeable gap in the lineup that the Archers can take advantage of. La Salle's combination of perimeter players like Mark Tallo, LA Revilla and Almond Vosotros will be a handful to stop defensively. X Factors

Averages	MIN	PTS	3P%	FG%	FTA	REB	AST
Jovet Mendoza	16.7	5.3	0%	47%	23	5.9	0.6

Mendoza works for the team as a glass cleaner, tallying the second most boards for the Green Archers. But after averaging eight points at a 42.4 percent clip in the Archers' first four games, he's only managed 2.8 markers on 26.7 percent shooting. Mendoza doesn't need the ball to be effective, managing to score mostly on putbacks and secondary breaks. La Salle is going to need this power forward to display that scrappiness and hustle against a superior San Beda frontline.

Averages	MIN	PTS	3P%	FG%	FTA	REB	AST
Ryusei Koga	11.8	4.4	20%	52%	43	2.0	1.3

Between Koga and Melo Lim, the latter is the better long range shooter. What Koga holds over his fellow reserve guard is he can finish at the rim, whether in transition or in the halfcourt set. His 52 percent rate from within the arc is better than any guard not named Baser Amer. Expect the Archers to mark him for his ability to get in the lane and to wear out their defenders on the perimeter. — JVP, GMA News