Red Lions feed on Generals

MANILA, Philippines — San Beda used a blistering third quarter run as it smashed Emilio Aguinaldo College, 76-57, yesterday to keep unbeaten league leader Lyceum of the Philippines U within sight in the 94th NCAA seniors basketball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

Robert Bolick dropped 12 of his game-high 20 points in the pivotal third as the Red Lions broke away from a tight 38-36 halftime game for a 59-45 bulge before cruising to the 19-point victory, their sixth straight and 12th overall in 13 outings.

That kept the defending back-to-back champions within reach of the Pirates, who swept their first 12 games.

Bolick actually finished with a double-double as he hauled down 10 rebounds and added six assists and three steals in a superb all-around game.

“We came out strong after the first half, showed poise and maturity and we played our game in the second half,” said Bolick.

The Generals stuck close to the Lions in the first two quarters but failed to match the latter’s spirited charge in the third behind Bolick’s hot-shooting.

The Generals sank to 2-10.

Earlier, San Sebastian rode on Allyn Bulanadi’s career-best 27 points as the Stags trounced the Jose Rizal U Bombers, 82-75, to keep their slim semis hopes alive.

The 6-2, 21-year-old Bulanadi scored 10 points in the first quarter as the Stags built an early 23-9 lead then the Davao City lefty poured in eight points in the last 10 minutes to help fend off the Bombers’ fightback and power the team to their third straight win and fourth overall against nine defeats.

“He was huge for us in this game,” said SSC coach Egay Macaraya, referring to Bulanadi, who leads the team with an average of 15.2 points.

Macaraya said they are still hoping against hope to barge into the semis.

“We have a very slim chance but it’s still a chance so we might as well take it. But first, we have to sweep our remaining games,” he said.

The Bombers fell to 2-11 and bowed out of the race.

Meanwhile, Jerry Codiñera yesterday resigned as Arellano U coach midway through the season. Junjie Ablan, the team’s first coach when the Chiefs joined the league as a guest squad in 2009, is back at the helm on an interim basis.

Under Codiñera, the Chiefs went 52-31 (win-loss) in almost five years. This included a pair of finals appearances –  in Seasons 90 and 92.