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San Beda wins third straight championship
MANILA, Philippines – This was supposed to be the most challenging season
San Beda ever faced in its title regime.
But all the Red Lions needed was to get everyone involved for just one
important game – the finals clincher – to wrap up another banner season.
San Beda played perfect basketball in the do-or-die Game Three to beat
Jose Rizal University 85-69 and win its third straight National Collegiate
Athletic Association men’s basketball championship at the Araneta
Coliseum.
It was a balanced effort by the Red Lions who were shaky and at times
vulnerable early in the tournament and on Monday, appeared to have waited
for the last game of the season for everyone to come together.
And that moment arrived at the perfect time with the Red Lions’ season and
their reign on the line.
The result? Meet college basketball’s new dynasty.
“It was a season of highs and lows for us but that’s what makes this
championship even sweeter," coach Frankie Lim, who won his second NCAA
title as a coach, said
“But I never doubted this team. I’m with them almost everyday. I practice
with them and I know them by heart. If there’s anybody who knows what this
team is capable of doing, it’s me," added Lim, who also steered the Lions
to their 14th league championship.
Sam Ekwe, the league MVP, led five Red Lions in double digits with 20
points, 13 coming in the first half where San Beda established a lead that
it protected until the final buzzer.
Ekwe, in his last season in San Beda, capped his stint for the Lions with
the Finals MVP. He also finished with 19 rebounds.
“It can’t get any better than this," said Ekwe, who helped San Beda end a
28-year title drought the day he first entered San Beda in 2006 and led
them to a title repeat in 2007.
“The team went through a lot this season but when the time came for us to
win, we did."
Ogie Menor finished with 18 points, 13 in the second half where most of
his buckets helped to cool off repeated rallies by JRU.
Rookie big man Jake Pascual added 13 points, seven rebounds – five off the
offensive glass – and three blocked shots.
Pong Escobal, who also served his last varsity year for the Lions, chipped
in 11 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. Backcourt mate Borgie
Hermida also had 11 points.
The Lions were up 9-4 early as the Bombers kept within striking distance
midway through the first quarter.
Menor scored on a three-on-one break to put San Beda up 20-10, the first
time the Lions breached the 10-point mark.
Ahead by a slimmer 38-29 advantage going into the third quarter, the Lions
broke out of the gates in the second half. Escobal and Menor hit a
three-pointer each and Hermida made a lay-up on a drive to make it 53-35
at the 6:29 mark of the third.
The Bombers would not come closer than nine points the rest of the way.
James Sena finished with 24 points to pace JRU. Mark Cagoco added 16.
“The championship experience spelled the difference for them," JRU coach
Ariel Vanguardia. “We’ll take this loss and learn from it and hopefully
we’ll improve on our weaknesses and be in contention again next year."
The loss extended JRU’s title drought to 36 years…
– GMANews.TV (09/29/2008 | 05:12 PM) |
