College of St. Benilde-La Salle Green Hills are headed back to the NCAA finals since 2018 after overcoming a monster game from San Beda University’s Chris Hubilla, 89-85.

Both teams entangled in a highly physical and intense ball game right from the get go until the final buzzer.

The Greenies’ collective effort gave them a slim cushion heading to the second half, 46-41. Three players scored double digits in the first half for Benilde-LSGH. Seven Gagate scored 12 points while Luis Pablo and James Ison added 11 and 10, respectively. Only Chris Hubilla scored in double figures for the Red Cubs with 16.

The action-packed game continued in the third frame. Santi Romero drilled an early three to deal San Beda a 10-point deficit.

John Lopez, who was guarded heavily by Ethan Alian, was silent for San Beda. He scored 26 big points in their first face-off in the final four and tallied in double digits in all of their encounters this season. Meanwhile, Chris Hubilla pulled-out all of his arsenals to carry San Beda and reduce the gap to a single point to end the third, 63-62.

In the final minute of the fourth quarter, Grade 10 student, Nicko Lorenzo, forced Benilde-LSGH coach Renren Ritualo to call a timeout after hitting a three-pointer and gave the Greenies the lead, 82-80.

After the time-out, Pablo and Gagate connected in traffic for a three point opportunity. Pablo failed to convert the bonus free-throw but was able to grab the rebound and delivered the putback. Ritualo has been relying heavily on his twin towers, utilizing them in horns play multiple times.

In the next position, Jharmaine Lecciones drove to the basket and scored over the towering presence of six-foot-eight Gagate to even the score 84-all.

CJ Mesias, who was one out of five from the perimeter, breaks the deadlock after hitting a trey in the right wing with 26 seconds left in the clock.

Hubilla then went to the charity stripes in the following play but was only able to convert a single free-throw.

James Ison committed a turnover that almost proved costly for the Greenies with 8.7 seconds left but was able to redeem himself after recovering the ball on defense and knocking down two pressure-packed free throws to seal the victory for Benilde LSGH.

“They pour their hearts out,” Ritualo, a first time head coach, said of his boys' performance.

Luis Pablo, who finished the game with the best player of the game honors made 25 markers and grabbed 19 boards, gave props to San Beda’s Hubilla after a 37-point outburst along with 14 rebounds in his final game for the Red Cubs. The two were caught in a conversation challenging each other in the crucial part of the game.

“Props sayo brother, sobrang bilib ako sayo, napakasipag mong player,” Pablo says during the post game.

Scores:

Benilde-La Salle Green Hills 89 - Pablo 25, Gagate 20, Ison 12, Romero 12, Alian 11, Mesias 5, Gomez 3, Rivero 1, Zaragoza 0.

San Beda 85 - Hubilla 37, Lopez 13, Lecciones 11, Lorenzo 10, Ludovice 8, Dungo 2, Mundas 2, Ronquillo 2, Wagan 0, Reyes 0, Lacsamana 0.

Quarterscores: 22-19, 46-41, 63-62, 89-85.