NCAA 95 : Defending champion San Beda out to keep slate clean
By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE DEFENDING champions San Beda Red Lions are out to keep their slate clean in Season 95 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association when they battle rivals San Sebastian Stags in league action today at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
Currently on top of the standings with an unblemished 3-0 record, the Lions try to maintain their top form in their 12 noon collision with the Stags (2-1).
Completing the scheduled seniors’ play triple-header today are the Lyceum Pirates (3-1) against the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers (2-3) at 2 p.m. and the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals (1-3) versus the Arellano Chiefs (0-3) at 4 p.m.
San Beda is coming off an 89-72 victory over the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals in an NCAA on Tour offering on July 18 at the EAC Sports and Cultural Center in Manila.
The Lions had control of the match throughout to book their third straight win and maintain their position on top of the heap in the standings in the ongoing season of the country’s oldest collegiate league.
In three games to date, leading the charge for four peat-seeking San Beda is guard James Kwekuteye who is averaging 16 points and 6.7 rebounds.
Forward Calvin Oftana has been good for 12.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and two blocks a game with foreign player Donald Tankoua averaging a double-double of 10.7 points and 10.3 rebounds.
Floor general Evan Nelle has been steady at the point guard position for the Mendiola-based Lions with numbers of 9.7 points and 8.7 assists.
Looking to put a halt to the unbeaten streak of the Lions are the Stags, who absorbed their first defeat of the season in their last game.
San Sebastian was ahead of Lyceum for much of the time in their game on Tuesday but faltered in the end to have the rug pulled from under it.
Allyn Bulanadi led the Stags with 13 markers with Ramil Tero adding 12 and Itchie Altamirano 10 points.
Unfortunately for San Sebastian, veteran key cog RK Ilagan, its leading scorer, failed to score a point, which greatly affected their push especially down the stretch.
The Stags’ defeat left San Beda and the idle College of Saint Benilde Blazers (2-0) as the only unbeaten teams left in NCAA Season 95.
