FilOil: San Beda’s roar louder than NU’s bark as Red Lions advance to semis

(Updated 8:56pm) The reigning NCAA titlists San Beda College Red Lions advanced to the semifinals of the 2014 FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup, besting the National University Bulldogs 88-81, Wednesday at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

The Red Lions are now slated to face the Central Escular University Scorpions in the semifinals on Friday in a tussle billed to be the ‘Battle of Mediola.’

One of the key matchups for the two teams was the battle between their respective African centers, San Beda’s Ola Adeogun and NU’s Alfred Aroga. While Aroga did manage to tally 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, he was largely kept off the boards, corralling just three rebounds all game. Adeogun managed just 12 points and fouled out of the game but was a much bigger presence on the glass, grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds.

The game was a tight affair in the first half as both teams shot a respectable mark from the field, 50 percent and 48 percent for the Bulldogs and Red Lions, respectively. The Bulldogs did enjoy a major differential at the free throw line, hitting eight of their 12 attempts from the charity stripe, while the Red Lions made only one free throw attempt of the half.

The Red Lions pulled away from the Bulldogs in third quarter behind the hot shooting of Anthony Semerad, who hit eight of his nine field goal attempts, including all four of his three-point tries, for a game-high 22 points.

The Bulldogs managed to stay within striking distance, riding the efficient scoring of Aroga, setting themselves up for a fourth quarter rally. Assisted by an aggressive press defense, NU’s Troy Rosario’s three-pointer with 57.8 seconds remaining cut the San Beda lead to just three, 84-81, but that was the closest the Bulldogs challenge would get.

San Beda scored the final four points of the game as Semerad and Art De La Cruz both split a pair of free throws, before Baser Amer capped the scoring by hitting two charities for the win.

“This game is a credit to all the players who played in the second half. They really second picked it up on defense,” said San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez.

“We have to be ready with our press break, that’s the time when NU caught up due to the fact that we made some turnovers towards the end,” he added.

The other semifinal pairing on Friday has the DLSU Green Archers taking on the SWU Cobras. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

SBC 88- Semerad 22, Amer 17, deogun 12, Dela Cruz 8, Koga 8, Mocon 6, Pascual 5, Tongco 4, Ludovice 2, Cabanag 2, Mendoza 2

NU 81- Aroga 22, Rosario 14, Alolino 11, Celda 8, Neypes 7, Khobuntin 6, Diputado 4, Perez 4, Alejandro 3, Betayene 2