(PHOTO BY MJ ROMERO)

HINDI pa rin natitinag ang defending three-time champion San Beda.

Umalagwa sa fourth quarter para talunin ang Jose Rizal University, 65-47 kahapon, idineretso ng Red Lions sa 12 ang panalo sa 95th NCAA men’s basketball tournament sa Filoil Flying V Centre.

Nagawang malimitahan ng Heavy Bombers sa anim na puntos sa second quarter, 31-27, nagising ang Red Lions sa huling bahagi ng third quarter, gumamit ng 23-4 run para kontrolin ang laro patungo sa kanilang 24th straight win sapol pa noong nakaraang season.

Nanahimik ang Heavy Bombers sa unang 6:50 ng fourth period, at nagawang makaiskor sa huling 3:10 ng laro mula sa lay-up ni Marwin Dionisio para sa 58-45 count, pabor sa San Beda.

“We have to be consistent through start to finish. We don’t want to play bad in the first half and play really well through good defense in the second half. It was lesson learned for us again,” lahad ni San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez.

Dagdag pa niya: “Our boys stepped up. It was defense first before offense came in.”

Sa nalalabing anim na laro sa elimination round, batid ni Fernandez na markada ang kanyang Lions dahil lahat ng makakasagupa nila ay target na dungisan ang kanilang record.

“We are looking for a hell week for us because we are playing tough teams and I consider them as one of the best teams in the league. Again, we have to improve in every game and learn the lessons that we had in the last four games, especially the Mapua game (at the end of first round),” lahad pa ni Fernandez.

Nanguna para sa San Beda si James Canlas na may 18 points, seven rebounds at two assists, habang si Calvin Oftana ay nagsumite ng 12 points, seven boards at three assists at may kontribusyon si Evan Nelle na 11 points, four assists, two steals at two boards/

Si Agem Miranda ay may 14 points para sa JRU, na nalaglag sa 4-8 win-loss record.

Samantala, inakay naman nina Rhayyan Amsali at Tony Ynot ang San Beda sa 88-68 win laban sa JRU sa juniors division.

Nag-contribute si Amsali ng 16 points, five rebounds at thress assists, habang si Ynot ay may 15 points, five rebounds, five assists at four steals tungo sa ikapitong sunod na panalo ng Red Cubs at 11th win sa 12 laro.

Ang iskor:

San Beda (65) – Canlas 18, Oftana 12, Nelle 11, Tankoua 10, Doliguez 8, Abuda 2, Bahio 2, Alfaro 2, Cariño 0, Cuntapay 0, Etrata 0, Soberano 0.

JRU (47) – Miranda 14, Amores 11, Delos Santos 5, Vasquez 5, Aguilar 4, Dionisio 4, Dela Rosa 3, Jungco 1, Arenal 0, Macatangay 0.

Quarterscores: 21-15, 27-31, 47-43, 65-47