Game Friday (October 14, 2011)
Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City
2:00pm – San Sebastian vs. San Beda (SRS – Classification for 1st/2nd)
San Sebastian College-Recoletos and San Beda College will square it off once more, barely two days after their second round-ending meeting, in the seniors basketball wars of the 87th National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
Along with bragging rights, at stake in this one-off match is the right to face fourth-seed Jose Rizal University and staking the claim of being number one after the eliminations.
Tip-off for the lone match of the day will be at 2:00pm.
Both teams split their meetings this season, with the Stags under rookie head coach and former point guard Topex Robinson handing their foes from Mendiola their first loss in 27 contests by a close two-point margin, 70-68.
Ronald Pascual dominated the heavily-contested match with a well-rounded output, scoring 23 points with 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Backcourt partner Calvin Abueva contributed the much-needed energy off the bench, which was seen is his 21 points and 8 rebound output in the game.
Last Wednesday, however, the Red Lions roared back with a complete and resounding rout of the Stags, 91-70, to forge today’s playoff match.
Garvo Lanete poured on 17 points to lead all Bedan scorers. Anthony Semerad, who has been hampered with a calf injury throughout this season, contributed a much-needed 13 points off the bench.
As early as the third quarter, the Stags visibly gave up on the game as the Red Lions ran off with a lead that stretched to 22 in the second half. Both Abueva and Pascual were not fielded in by Coach Robinson during the fourth period.
In 2009, the Stags and Red Lions also met in a battle to decide the Number 1 seed in the Final Four with both squads also sporting 16-2 records at that point. The Frankie Lim-mentored institution went on to win 71-65 in a match that was marred by a minor melee that resulted in then-Stags point guard Jimbo Aquino getting sent to the showers early and merited a one-game suspension.
As history would retell, both squads would meet again for the championship, with the improbable sweep by the Golden Stags of the heavily-favored Red Lions that was led by Borgie Hermida and then-Rookie of the Year Sudan Daniel.
Under head coach Frankie Lim, who took over the reins from Koy Banal in Season 83 (2007-08), San Beda has never ended the elimination round phase below first place.
