Lions pound Chiefs, gain top seed in Final 4

Games on Oct. 15 (MOA Arena)

12 nn.- Mapua vs Jose Rizal (jrs)

2 p.m.- San Beda vs Perpetual Help (srs)

4 p.m.- Arellano U vs. Jose Rizal (jrs)

6 p.m.- San Beda vs Letran (jrs)

MANILA, Philippines - San Beda reasserted its supremacy of the league after it massacred a surprisingly hapless Arellano U, 97-69, to clinch the top seeding in the Final Four of the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Baser Amer erupted for 21 points including eight in the fourth quarter when the Lions tore the game apart in sealing the No. 1 seed and a Final Four showdown with the No. 4 Perpetual Help Altas on Wednesday at the MOA Arena in Pasay City, needing one win to barge into the finals for the ninth straight season.

The Chiefs fell to No. 2 and will clash with the No. 3 Jose Rizal Bombers in the other Final Four joust, also needing just a victory to advance.

It also marked the ninth straight time that San Beda emerged as the top seed entering the Final Four eventually making it to the finals in all those seasons and winning seven of it including the last four.

The Lions also ended an alarming three-game skid, their longest in the last nine years, while avenging their 76-78 defeat at the hands of the Chiefs last week. The loss relegated them to No. 2 for a brief period.

Until Arellano U got ambushed by Lyceum in a painful 96-101 loss last Wednesday and dropping this recent one to San Beda.

“I have to thank Lyceum for giving us a chance to get this top seeding and credit to the boys also for stepping up,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez.

Earlier, Jose Rizal banked on the exploits of Bernabe Teodoro late in regulation and in overtime as it turned back Perpetual Help, 82-79, to clinch the No. 3 seeding.

Teodoro highlighted a 16-point game with the basket that forced the overtime play and five crucial markers in extra period, including the go-ahead triple.

“We just want to get this win for us to have the confidence going into the Final Four,” said Jose Rizal coach Vergel Meneses.

It was the Kalentong-based dribblers’ third win over the Altas this season and fifth overall this year counting a pair of wins in a Filoil-Flying V-sponsored pre-season tournament last summer.

Perpetual Help nearly ended its losing skein to Jose Rizal but came up short in the end.

A pair of triples by Earl Scottie Thompson and Juneric Baloria and a step-back jumper by Baloria transformed a 65-69 deficit to a 73-71 lead for Perpetual Help with 1.13 minutes left in regulation.

Enter Teodoro.

“I just want the ball in his hands in the crucial stretches of the game because I want him to get used to these critical moments,” said Meneses of the 21-year-old Teodoro, a prized find from Fatima.

The Altas had a chance to tie the game again and force a second OT but Baloria misfired on a desperation triple, and Jose Rizal’s Abdul Razak Abdul Wahab of Cameroon skied for the rebound to seal the game.

There were some anxious moments in the dying seconds in regulation when one of the three referees called a foul by Thompson on Anthony Benavidez in a wild scramble for the loose ball.

Game officials reviewed the call and found there was indeed a foul but the referee who whistled it was late in making the call, thus forcing OT.

Jose Rizal dominated from there.

Justine Alano led the Altas with 19 points while pro-bound Harold Arboleda and Baloria chipped in 17 and 16, respectively.

Jose Rizal was also successful in shutting down Thompson, the MVP statistical race leader who was held to just five points, nine boards and five assists that hastened Perpetual Help’s downfall.

The scores:

First Game

JRU 82 – Teodoro 16, Paniamogan 15, Abdulwahab 11, Benavides 9, Balagtas 8, Mabulac 8, Sanchez 4, Asuncion 4, Astilla 2, Grospe 2, Manuel 2, Lasquety 1.

UPHSD 79 – Alano 19, Arboleda 17, Baloria 16, Dagangon 10, Gallardo 8, Thompson 5, Oliveria 4, Dizon 0, Ylagan 0, Tamayo 0, Bantayan 0, Lucente 0, Jolangcob 0.

Quarterscores: 16-12, 34-32, 50-55, 73-73 (reg), 82-79 (OT)

Second Game

San Beda 97 – Amer 21, Adeogun 15, Pascual 14, Sara 10, Dela Cruz 10, Mendoza 9, Koga 7, A. Semerad 6, D. Semerad 5, Tongco 0

Arellano U 69 – Hernandez 11, Agovida 10, Jalalon 8, Holts 8, Cadavis 6, Nichols 5, Caperal 4, Enriquez 4, Ortega 3, Gumaru 2, Salcedo 2, Ciriacruz 2, Pinto 2, Palma 0

Quarterscores: 18-22; 43-32; 67-56; 97-69