Lions ward off CJ Perez-less Pirates to take Game 1

Games Monday
(Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City)
2 p.m. – CSB-LSGH vs Mapua (jrs)
4 p.m. – San Beda vs LPU (srs)

MANILA, Philippines – San Beda went for a kill and a blowout but ended up fending off a late, furious comeback by a CJ Perez-less Lyceum of the Philippines University and hacked out a 73-60 victory Tuesday to move on the verge of claiming its 22nd championship in the 94th NCAA basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Comfortably ahead, 66-39, early in the fourth quarter, the Lions' relaxed and started to celebrate to their near demise as the Pirates dropped a 21-4 onslaught that sliced their lead to just 10 points with less than a minute to go but hang tough enough to secure the win and a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three duel.

LPU missed Perez in the opener after he served his suspension for failing to inform the league in writing of his PBA application.

 “I think without CJ (Perez), their effort went down. But even without CJ, we only beat them by 13 points and he’s averaging 18 points a game,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez.

Perez’s absence was just too much for LPU as the Hong Kong-born, Pangasinan native averaged a league-best 18.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, four assists and 3.3 steals and it was felt in the first three quarters when the team was buried by as much as 27 points, 39-66.

Perez will be back in Game Two on Monday also at the MOA Arena.

A decider, if necessary, is on November 16 at the same venue.

And San Beda is bracing for a rougher fight with Perez around.

“We just have to be ready and we know they’re going to be back,” said Fernandez.

The Pirates were in utter disarray without their inspirational leader in Perez and got buried early, 22-43, at the end of the first half.

Clint Doliguez and Jeramer Cabanag came off the bench and combined for 19 points in the first half that got San Beda started.

Earlier, St. Benilde-La Salle Greenhills went to Joel Cagulangan in the fourth quarter as it turned back Mapua, 74-69, to move on the verge of claiming its second straight juniors crown.

Cagulangan, last year’s Finals MVP who will be named this year’s season MVP in Game Two Monday, dropped nine of his team-best 16 points in the final period to help the Junior Blazers overcome the Robins’ repeated fightbacks late.

It was the Junior Blazers’ first win over the Robins this year and it came at the right time.

“We never get to beat them the whole of 2018 so this is the first of the year and we’re happy it came in the NCAA Finals,” said CSB-LSGH coach Marvin Bienvenida.

The scores

San Beda 73 – Mocon 14, Bolick 12, Doliguez 11, Tankoua 10, Cabanag 8, Canlas 6, Oftana 4, Presbitero 3, Nelle 3, Cuntapay 2, Soberano 0, Abuda 0, Eugene 0, Tongco 0, Carino 0

LPU 60 – Nzeusseu 16, Marcelino JC 13, Marcelino JV 13, Ayaay 9, Caduyac 5, Valdez 2, Yong 2, Ibanez 0, Pretta 0, Santos 0, Tansingco 0, Serrano 0, Lumbao 0

Quarterscores: 19-9; 43-22; 59-39; 73-60