By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Tuesday
(Mall of Asia Arena)
1 p.m. – SSC vs St. Benilde (Jrs)
3:30 p.m. – SSC vs Letran (Srs)
For the first time in more than a decade, powerhouse San Beda is standing on unfamiliar grounds, with the Red Lions not enjoying a usual twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four round.
Veteran tactician Boyet Fernandez, however, is unfazed, knowing full well that San Beda can sustain its winning tradition and, hopefully, extend its reign that appears in big trouble in the face of Lyceum’s improbable rise in the 93rd NCAA seniors basketball tournament.
“We still like our chances,” said Fernandez in an SMS message yesterday following the Red Lions’ painful 107-105 double overtime loss last Thursday that enabled the Pirates to complete an 18-game sweep of the eliminations and advance to their first-ever finals stint outright.
The Red Lions finished the elimination round at second spot with a 16-2 mark, their losses inflicted by the fired-up Pirates, but won’t have any playoff advantage when they plunge back to action in a knockout match in the stepladder semifinals on Nov. 7 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The road to a 12th straight finals appearance since 2006 sure looks rough and rock-strewn, but Fernandez believes that the Red Lions could only get better and hungrier ahead of a possible best-of-three titular showdown with the Pirates.
“Losing twice to Lyceum did give us a tough road ahead to the finals since we lost our twice-to-beat advantage. We just have to learn from the losses and come out strong in our knockout game,” said the two-time NCAA champion coach.
San Beda will face the survivor of the unforgiving semis format, with No. 3 Jose Rizal University, host San Sebastian and archrival Letran all raring to keep their respective finals hopes alive.
Fernandez, however, is keen on keeping his full attention to the Red Lions, who have been aching to find consistent support to old reliables Robert Bolick, Javee Mocon and Cameroonian big man Donald Tankoua.
Pro-bound Davon Potts is certainly the missing link for the Red Lions so far, with the Fil-Am gunner hardly making any contributions, even laying a big fat egg the last time out, despite having an impressive debut last year under the guidance of Jamike Jarin, who’s now calling the shots for the National University Bulldogs in the UAAP.