NCAA: Rampaging Red Lions to defend title after ousting Perpetual Help

(Update-2 5:22pm) The San Beda College Red Lions showed they can turn it on when they need it the most.

After three quarters of back-and-forth basketball against the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Altas, the three-peat defending champs exploded for a decisive fourth quarter run and never looked back, winning 70-51, Thursday at the MOA Arena, in their NCAA Final Four match-up.

These two teams also met last season with San Beda similarly the top-seed and Perpetual Help fourth as well.

As a result, San Beda and Letran will reprise their Finals series from last season, which the Red Lions won, 2-1.

“At the half, my players said coach, we’re gonna get it back. We’re gonna win the ball game.” said San Beda mentor Boyet Fernandez. “True enough [they did].”

Up by a point, 38-37, after 30 minutes, San Beda opened the fourth period by detonated a 15-2 run built on the back of center Ola Adeogun that put them up 53-39, with 5:40 left.

Less than a minute later, a battle for a loose ball resulted in a short scuffle that saw Alta John Ylagan ejected for coming off the bench and assuming a fighting stance, while David Semerad got a technical foul and Anthony Semerad an unsportsmanlike foul. Perpetual Help however couldn’t use that as a turning point though, as a breakaway play by the Semerad brothers was met by a meek reply from Nosa Omorogbe, keeping the difference at 12, 55-43.

Juneric Baloria and Anthony Semerad exchanged free throws for a 17-point SBC advantage with three minutes remaining. A Jolangcob trey and an Omorogbe split got the Altas to within 15, but San Beda took care of the ball in the final two minutes to cruise to victory.

San Beda forward Art Dela Cruz finished with 12 points, 14 rebounds and three assists to pace the Red Lions. Ola Adeogun assembled a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Rome Dela Rosa scored nine.

Neither team could get their offense going to start the first. A Nosa Omorogbe make above the outstretched arms of Ola Adeogun gave Perpetual the lead, but Rome Dela Rosa quickly countered at the other end.

Justine Alano pushed the Altas ahead anew, as San Beda had to pull out Adeogun after getting his second foul with 4:36 left in the first. An Anthony Paulino corner trey gave UPHDS a three-point lead, but Pascual and Art Dela Cruz strung six together to put the Red Lions on top, 11-9, after the initial 10 minutes.

The three-peat defending titlists couldn't pull away in the second as Rome Dela Rosa and David Semerad's makes were met by baskets from Chris Elopre and Kevin Oliveria, 15-13. A Francis Abarcar trey made it a five-point game for SBC, but a 10-0 run capped by an Alano basket inside pushed the Altas ahead, 23-18, with 24 seconds remaining.

Dan Sara snapped the San Beda dry spell with a triple at the other end, but the Red Lions' inability to set up on defense led to an Alano buzzer-beating bucket, 25-21.


Alano led Perpetual with 10 points after two, with seven other Altas contributing at least two points each. Perpetual shot 41 percent, while limiting the Red Lions to a 19 percent clip from the field.

Kyle Pascual led San Beda with six while Rome Dela Rosa had four. Adeogun only saw five minutes of action due to foul trouble, resulting in him posting no points in the first half.

With Adeogun back manning the middle, the Altas struggled to covert at the same rate they did in the first half. Back-to-back triples from Sara gave the Red Lions a two-point lead, and Adeogun converted on his first basket, 33-29.

Arboleda countered with a wide-open trey at the other end, as Baloria sank two from the line to give Perpetual a 34-33 edge. Even with three fouls, Adeogun was left inside, but he still struggled to help his team, as he shot blanks from the line.

Four from Ludovice and Adeogun put San Beda on the driver's seat, but Paulino knocked down a corner triple to tie the game at 37-all. An Adeogun split ended the third with SBC ahead by only one.



The scores:

San Beda (70) -- Adeogun 11, Dela Cru 11, Sara 9, Dela Rosa 9, Amer 8, D. Semerad 7, Pascual 6, Ludovice 4, Abarcar 3, A. Semerad 2, Mendoza 0, Bonsubre 0

Perpetual (51) -- Alano 12, Omorogbe 7, Jolangcob 7, Arboleda 6, Paulino 6, Baloria 6, Oliveria 4, Elopre 3, Thompson 0, Ylagan 0, Bantayan 0, Bitoy 0

Quarter scoring: 11-9, 21-25, 38-37, 70-51