League-leading squads San Beda College and Arellano University forge the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 90 seniors basketball title showdown following respective wins during the Final Four on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Four-time defending champion San Beda stopped University of Perpetual Help’s second-half comeback to pull off an 81-75 result, while Arellano U marked their first finals appearance on the strength of a 72-65 win over season host Jose Rizal University.
Game 1 of their best-of-three showdown is set on Monday, October 20 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Anthony Semerad led San Beda’s attack with 18 points, with Baser Amer adding 17 markers, and Ola Adeogun contributing 13 markers and 10 boards.
Following a hot start to the contest that resulted in a 26-point, 44-18 halftime lead, the Red Lions went cold in the next two quarters and allowed the fourth-seeded Altas to blaze back into contention.
A 26-11 tear in the third period led by the duo of graduating veterans Justine Alano and Juneric Baloria pulled Perpetual Help within eight, 42-50, with 2:44 left.
However, Anthony Semerad benefitted from a costly technical foul from leading most valuable player candidate Earl Thompson for flopping to momentarily stop the bleeding and extended the Red Lions lead to 11, 55-44, on a 5-2 mini-run at the end of the third.
With the game virtually out of reach with the score pegged at 70-55 in favor of San Beda in the last 2:49, the quartet of Harold Arboleda, Thompson, Baloria, and reserve forward Gab Dangangon conspired to orchestrate their final push and reduced their deficit to just five with 19.4 left.
But before they could completely overturn their five point deficit with less than 20 seconds left, time expired to shut the door on the Altas’ finals hopes for the third straight year.
“My boys had the heart to fight back, even though Perpetual Help was running us down in the second half. We just had to finish that game. I’m really worried about that game because Perpetual Help is a really strong team and they have a very good coach,” said San Beda Head Coach Boyet Fernandez.
“But I do thank my players, especially Jaypee Mendoza and Anthony Semerad who really stepped up in the run by Perpetual Help. And I credit Anthony for containing Baloria and Jaypee for stepping up off the bench,” he added.
“It’s nice to be back in the finals and hopefully we can continue our dream of getting that five-peat. It will be a tough series.”
Leading the Altas were Thompson’s 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, while Baloria also tallied 20 markers in his final game.
Dioncee Holts pushed Arellano with 22 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Levi Hernandez’s 12 markers.
In their first-ever appearance in the Final Four, the Chiefs enter the title round and gives Jerry Codiñera his first finals appearance in his coaching career.
Rookie Tey Teodoro pulled the trigger with 19 markers, while Jaycee Asuncion and Michael Mabulac each posted 13.
