San Beda survives Enderun in Next Man cUP

MANILA, Philippines -- Daniel Marcelo connected on a 3-point basket with seven seconds left that helped San Beda University escape with a nail-biting 77-75 win against Enderun Colleges in the Pinoyliga Next Man cUP Season 3 last week at the Enderun Colleges Gym in Taguig City.

The endgame heroics of Marcelo earned him the Player of the Gane award as he collected 16 points with two rebounds and two assists for the Red Lions. Adjanti Miller led San Beda with 19 points and six boards.

Jimuel Reyes also tallied double-digit scoring with 11 points for SBU, which was in control for most part of the game.

“We don’t need to start hot just to start hot, we need to play good basketball (all throughout the game),” said coach Andre Santos, who is calling the shots as a member of the coaching staff of San Beda head coach Yuri Escueta.

Also winning on opening day were New Era University and Lyceum of the Philippines University.

Jomark Labio scored on a game-winning basket with four seconds to go that helped the Hunters beat the NCAA reigning champion Mapua Cardinals 81-79.

Labio converted a jump shot with 14 seconds left that shattered the last deadlock of 79-all.

Tristan Tolentino led New Era, which made the Final Four of the previous National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities, with 19 points, while Toritseju Adam and Labio each added 11 points and each with five rebounds.

Cyril Gonzales had 19 points and eight boards for Mapua, while Drex de los Reyes and Ivan Lazarte chipped in 14 and 13 points, respectively.

As for the Pirates, Richmond Casino came through with 20 points as LPU downed Guang Ming College 65-61.

Meanwhile, action resumes Saturday as Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association champion St. Dominic College of Asia makes its debut against New Era at 2 p.m. at the Enderun Colleges gym in Taguig City.