Red Lions overcome Blazers, share lead

MANILA, Philippines - San Beda overcame a third quarter meltdown and survived St. Benilde’s gritty stand down the stretch as it pounded out a 59-53 decision to force a four-way tie for the lead in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

The Lions used their edge in ceiling and dominated the boards, 48-29, including a pair of offensive rebounds in the clutch to preserve the victory and join Perpetual Help, San Sebastian and Jose Rizal in the lead at 3-1.

Kyle Pascual, a 22-year-old Fil-Am out of Yorbalinda, California, scored 12 points and combined with Rome dela Rosa and Jake Pascual for a 31-board haul for the defending champions, more than the Blazers’ total output.

“It’s the leadership of our big men like Kyle and Jake who kept this young team in the game,” said San Beda coach Ronnie Magsanoc.

The victory came on the heels of San Beda’s heart-breaking 87-88 overtime loss to Perpetual Help last week.

For a while, the Blazers appeared headed for a big reversal when they rallied from double-digit deficits to grab a 45-41 lead early in the fourth.

But St. Benilde lost 6-6 Jan Tan due to disqualification foul against Pascual early in the third quarter and the Lions pressed their bid inside to carve out the win and extend their domination of the Blazers to eight games.

St. Benilde’s last win over San Beda came in 2008 off the court when the NCAA board upheld the former’s protest on the wrong uniform worn by then Nigerian import Sam Ekwe.

San Beda struggled in the absence of Nigerian rookie Ola Adeogun, who will return on Thursday versus Emilio Aguinaldo after serving out his four-game suspension for misconduct last year.

The Blazers, who rode on Carlo Lastimosa’s 21-point explosion, fell to 2-3.

Earlier, defending juniors champion San Beda leaned on Rev Diputado’s endgame heroics as it rallied to frustrate St. Benilde, 65-60, and seize a share of the lead with San Sebastian.

Diputado, who saw action in the Energen Pilipinas’ semifinal finish in the FIBA-Asia Under-16 Championship in Vietnam last year, fired 12 of his team-high 19 points in the last period as San Beda overhauled a five-point deficit to nail their fourth straight victory.

In the nightcap, Kevin Alas came through with 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as he carried Letran to a morale-boosting 66-60 victory over Mapua.

Alas took charge in the fourth quarter, firing 10 points as the Knights sustained their second half charge to check their three-game skid and tie their victims at 2-3.