MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATED) The tradition continues for San Beda College as the Red Lions secured the No. 1 seed in the Final Four of the NCAA Season 92 tournament following an 80-73 victory over Arellano University on Tuesday at the Arena in San Juan.
In a playoff for the No. 1 seed that marked the third meeting between the Chiefs and the Red Lions this season, it was San Beda that seized control of the second half, with AC Soberano waxing hot from beyond the arc while Ben Adamos stepped up defensively to lead the way in the victory.
San Beda has now finished as the No. 1 team at the end of the elimination round for the 11th consecutive season. The Red Lions thus set up a Final Four date against the fourth-seeded University of Perpetual Help Altas in the semi-finals.
"This is good, because you always want to go into the playoffs with a win," San Beda head coach Jamike Jarin said after the game. "That's momentum coming in. Hats off to Arellano for really playing well and fighting."
Soberano torched the Chiefs for a career-high 26 points, making 10 of his 14 field goal attempts including six of his nine three-pointers. Adamos had 14 points, six of which came in a crucial stretch of the fourth period, to go along with six rebounds and four blocks.
The Red Lions threatened to blow the game open in the third period when they built a 12-point lead, 54-42, thanks to back-to-back three-pointers by Soberano and a transition bucket by Robert Bolick. To make matters worse for Arellano, Jalalon had to sit down midway through the quarter due to an apparent injury to his right ankle.
But the Chiefs rallied back, thanks to Kraniel Villoria, who had two and-1 plays in the final two minutes of the third quarter. His second three-point play came with just 1.2 seconds left in the frame, and made it a one-point game, 59-60, heading into the fourth.
Arellano had a golden opportunity to seize the lead as Allen Enriquez found himself wide open under the basket in their first possession of the fourth quarter. But Adamos never gave up on the play, flying in to pin Enriquez's shot against the backboard and keep San Beda ahead.
Adamos with the HUGE rejection to protect the lead!#NCAASeason92 pic.twitter.com/H20ngkmNvb
— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) September 27, 2016
Adamos, who has stepped up in the absence of injured Cameroonian Donald Tankoua, then showed off his touch from the perimeter as he drained three straight baseline jumpers, the last of which gave San Beda a 66-59 advantage.
"Ben is coming into age," said Jarin. "As long as he keeps his feet grounded, sky is the limit for this young man."
A five-point burst by Soberano put San Beda up by 13 points, 73-60, with 4:16 to go. The Chiefs last threatened at the 1:12 mark, when Donald Gumaru drained a triple that made it 69-76. But they gave up a lay-up to Javee Mocon in San Beda's next possession, and Zach Nichols bricked an open triple in their ensuing play to doom their chances.
"Everything is down the drain," said Jarin. "It doesn't matter where we are. The most important game is on Friday."
Bolick finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while team captain Dan Sara had 10 points, six boards, and five assists. San Beda, as a team had 20 assists, and shot 42.86% from the field.
San Beda has now beaten Arellano in all three meetings this season, and ensured that the Chiefs will enter the Final Four on the heels of a two-game losing streak.
The NCAA Season 92 Final Four starts on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The scores:
SAN BEDA 80 – Soberano 26, Bolick 14, Adamos 14, Sara 10, Mocon 6, Noah 5, Presbitero 3, Potts 2, Bonsubre 0, Tongco 0, Navarro 0, Oftana 0, Carlos 0
ARELLANO 73 – Jalalon 14, Salado 11, Gumaru 11, Villoria 10, Flores 6, Canete 6, Enriquez 5, Holts 3, Aguilar 3, Meca 2, Cadavis 2, Nicholls 0, Zamora 0, Gupilan 0
Quarter scores: 23-22, 38-35, 60-59, 80-73.
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