Red Lions roar back with rout of AU Chiefs
Losing back-to-back games early this season is unimaginable for a champion team.
Not overestimating its mettle, San Beda College bounced back from a humiliating early loss to an unheralded foe by beating pre-season tormentors Arellano University, 67-54, at the San Juan Arena for its first big win in Season 89 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association on Thursday.
6’10” Nigerian center Ola Adeogun dominated the paint, scoring on five inside baskets and eight free throws while blocking five shots and hauling 16 rebounds to lead the Red Lions. But it was pass-first point guard Baser Amer who delivered the goods for the Lions at crunch time, scoring eight unanswered points in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter to translate a neck-to-neck ballgame into a furious rout.
Ever the facilitator, Amer still credited his unheralded teammates for the win.
“Maganda yung individual defense namin. Maganda nilaro nina [Van] Abatayo at [Francis] Abarcar, malaki naitulong nila sa depensa,” he explained after the game.
It was a see-saw battle for both teams which, in the first two weeks of the season, had contrasting fates against common enemy Lyceum Pirates, with the Red Lions losing and the Chiefs winning against the erstwhile league doormats last week.
In the first half, Adeogun showed his muscle in offense, benefiting from nifty passes from guards Amer and Ryusei Koga to score 11 early points.
The Chiefs, though undersized, challenged the Red Lions superior frontcourt as bigs Prince Caperal, Keith Agovida, and Nichole Bangga combined for 14 inside points to trail by only a point in the first half, 29-30.
In the second half, San Beda then went relentless in attacking the Chiefs’ defense, drawing 18 fouls in the half and sinking 18-of-24 free throws–a transgression that unnerved Arellano.
What was once a four point deficit at the end of the third quarter ballooned to 16 midway in the fourth against Arellano, as Amer assumed the wing scorer’s role by sinking a corner trey and sinking two teardrop shots early in the fourth.
On the defensive end, forwards Abatayo and Rome de la Rosa played excellent denial defense against Arellano’s main man James Forrester, who was limited to only five shots in the half on top of three turnovers as the Chiefs failed to launch a final stand after Amer’s scoring blitz.
Adeogun led his team with 18 points, 16 rebounds, and five blocks while Amer added 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists for the Red Lions (2-1). The Chiefs (1-2), who played without erstwhile leading scorer Levi Hernandez due to a one-game suspension, were led by Forrester with 15 points and three steals.
Generals escape Blazers for first win
In the first game, Emilio Aguinaldo College unleashed a 13-2 last quarter run to escape season hosts De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, 73-72, for their first win of the season.
Crucial endgame free throws by John Tayongtong and Cedric Noube Happi made the Generals’ Houdini act possible, as EAC surpassed a 58-70 deficit midway in the final canto.
Tayongtong and Igee King scored 16 points apiece to lead the 1-2 Generals while Happi had his first monster ballgame with 14 points and 17 rebounds.
The still-winless Blazers were led by the triumvirate of Paolo Taha, Mark Romero, and Luis Sinco, who scored 17, 16, and 14 points, respectively.
BOX SCORES
First game
EAC (73): Tayongtong 16, King 16, Happi 14, Jamon 13, Paguia 8, Arquero 4, Castro 2, Morada 0, Hiole Manga 0, Munsayac 0
BENILDE (72): Taha 17, Romero 16, Sinco 14, Ongteco 9, Grey 8, Deles 4, Bartolo 2, Carlos 2, Saavedra 0, Garcia 0, Jonson 0
QUARTERS: 27-16, 31-38, 57-61, 73-72
Second game
SAN BEDA (67): Adeogun 18, Amer 12, Pascual 8, Koga 8, Abatayo 8, de la Cruz 5, de la Rosa 4, Ludovice 2, Abarcar 2, D. Semerad 0, A. Semerad 0
ARELLANO (54): Forrester 15, Caperal 8, Agovida 8, Bangga 6, Pinto 4, Cadavis 4, Gumaru 3, Jalalon 2, Salcedo 2, Margallo 2, Enriquez 0, Nicholls 0
QUARTERS: 8-11, 30-29, 49-45, 67-54
