Red Lions sizzled as JRU absorbs 4th defeat; Stags clinch twice-to-beat bonus, thwarts Cardinals

San Beda showed up with its best defensive effort thus far as it smothered Jose Rizal, 78-46, yesterday to clinch at least a place in the top two and the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four that goes with it in the 86th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

Garvo Lanete fired a game-high 23 points while Alder dela Rosa and skipper Borgie Hermida, back after a two-game absence, chipped in 13 and 10, respectively, to help send the Lions to their 14th straight win, their longest since achieving the same feat four years ago.

It was defense though that spelled the difference as San Beda held Jose Rizal to a league low 15 field goals and its lowest output of the season.

“I didn’t expect this to be a blowout, I though it was going to be close,” said San Beda coach Frankie Lim. “Defensively this is our best game.”

So dominating was San Beda that third string center John Montemayor paced Jose Rizal with eight points.

San Beda is one game away from matching the longest streak in the league set by reigning champion San Sebastian in its title run last season.

Two wins would complete the Lions, who would take on the Letran Knights on Thursday and the Stags on Sept. 29, a historic sweep of the double-round elimination, the first since San Sebastian achieved the feat 13 years back.

If it happens, San Beda would skip the Final Four altogether and play in the best-of-three finale outright while its potential challenger would have to undergo the stepladder phase.

“It’s hard to say because we’re facing two of the toughest teams in the league in Letran and San Sebastian, we’ll see,” said Lim.

The Bombers absorbed their fourth loss against 11 triumphs to remain at No. 3.

In juniors’ action, San Beda leaned on another triple-double performance by Baser Amer as it walloped Jose Rizal, 99-75, to clinch the top spot and the twice-to-beat advantage that goes with it.

Amer, playing his final season, came through with 21 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds to register his third triple-double effort of the season helping send the Red Cubs to their 13th win in 14 outings while enhancing his MVP bid.

San Sebastian, for its part, leaned on an 30-point and 11-board effort by Gino Jumao-as as it turned back Mapua, 73-69, to clinch a spot in the Final Four with a 10-4 slate.

San Sebastian leaned on another MVP-like performance by Calvin Abueva as it turned back a stubborn Mapua, 85-76, to likewise clinch the other twice-to-beat edge in the Final Four.

Abueva, who is barely ahead of San Beda’s Sudan Daniel in the MVP derby, unleashed 27 points he spliced with 15 caroms, four assists and two blocks to send the Stags to their 13th victory in 14 outings while ensuring them a place in the top two.

The Cardinals, who were paced by Allan Mangahas’ 17 points, fell to their sixth setback against eight wins, allowing the Letran Knights (6- a slim chance of gate-crashing into the Final Four.

The scores:

San Beda 78- Lanete 23, dela Rosa 13, Hermida 10, A. Semerad 9, J. Pascual 7, Daniel 6, Villahermosa 4, Marcelo 4, Caram 2, K. Pascual 0
Jose Rizal 46- Montemayor 8, Apinan 7, J. Lopez 6, Almario 6, Matute 5, Njei 3, Etame 3, Badua 3, Hayes 2, Kabigting 2, Bulangis 1, Duncil 0, Dizon 0, M. Lopez 0
Quarterscores: 25-10; 39-28; 59-37; 78-46

San Sebastian 85- Abueva 27, Semira 16, Raymundo 12, Bulawan 12, del Rio 8, Gorospe 4, Sangalang 4, Najorda 2, Pascual 0, Maconocido 0, Gatchalian 0
Mapua 76- Mangahas 17, Sarangay 14, Pascual 12, Guillermo 10, Cornejo 0, Ighalo 6, Acosta 6, Banal 1, Ranises 0
Quarterscores: 23-17; 34-33; 55-50; 85-76