San Beda takes Game One of NCAA finals
By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
THE defending champions San Beda Red Lions are one step away from another National Collegiate Athletic Association title after taking Game One of their best-of-three finals over the Lyceum Pirates, 94-87, yesterday.
Getting solid contributions from foreign player Donald Tankoua and veterans Robert Bolick and Javee Mocon, the Lions hung tight to deal the Pirates their first defeat of the season while coming ever close to their 10th title in 12 years and 21st all time.
The contest was tight right at the onset.
Lyceum made an early jump to start the opening quarter but San Beda charged back strong to claim the frame, 22-21.
In the second quarter, league most valuable player CJ Perez and Mike Nzeusseu conspired to rally their team to a strong rally, allowing the Pirates to overtake the Lions by halftime, 50-45.
The two teams went back and forth in the third frame, bent on establishing momentum as the contest got deeper.
The scored was knotted at 64-all as the third canto lapsed.
With the outcome still open heading into the final 10 minutes of the match, the protagonists buckled down for the sprint.
San Beda raced to a 77-76 lead with five minutes left in the game.
Mocon and Bolick then started to take charge thereafter for the Lions as they swung to an 89-82 separation with 55 ticks to go.
Nzeusseu and Perez pulled Lyceum to within four points, 91-87, with 20 seconds remaining but that was the closest they would get as San Beda held on for the win.
Tankoua had a double-double of 27 points and 20 rebounds while Bolick finished with 24 points.
Pro-bound Davon Potts had 15 points with Mocon tallying 11 points and nine boards.
Perez, meanwhile, led Lyceum with 25 points and eight boards while Nzeusseu had 14 points and eight rebounds.
“Happy we got this win. The boys really stepped up and showed how they wanted it bad,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez after their win.
“But this is not yet over. We still need to win one more,” he said.
Lyceum barged into the finals outright after sweeping the elimination round.
Its back is now against the wall heading into Game Two on Nov. 16 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Meanwhile earlier in the day, Perez was named league MVP.
Perez led the NCAA in scoring with 19.3 points per game to go along with 6.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and nearly two steals a contest.
In winning the top individual plum, Perez beat out teammate Nzeusseu, Mocon and Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Sydney Onwubere.
