By REYNALD MAGALLON
San Beda fended off a late Lyceum rally to start its National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 97 title bid on a winning note, 84-76, on Saturday at the La Salle Greenhills Gym.
The Red Lions used a blistering first half to build a 19-point lead late in the second quarter before slamming the door on the Pirates comeback attempt.
San Beda showed its depth with six players scoring seven points or more with Ralph Penuela and JB Bahio finishing witgh 12 points apiece while Winston Ynot added 10 markers.
“Medyo hirap kami sa first game. I credit coach Gilbert for preparing really well. Like I said it’s a mystery for me, the LPU because they have new guys, new coach so different system, so medyo nangapa kami,” said Coach Boyet Fernandez.
Enoch Valdez spearheaded the Pirates with his 22 points and eight rebounds while Lorenzo Navarro backstopped him with 15 points.
Despite the win, Fernandez said the team still has a lot of work to do especially after committing 21 turnovers which LPU converted to 16 points fueling the team’s late run in the second half.
“I’m happy with the way our players adjusted. We have so many turnovers this game, hopefully we can check it in the next game against EAC and we just have to make our free throws there’s so many free throws missed,” Fernandez rued.
Lyceum trailed for the most part of the game as San Beda embarked on an early 12-5 run to break a 13-13 deadlock and take a 12-point lead at the end of the opening frame. The Season 95 runner-up then kept its foot on the gas pedal as it built their largest lead at 40-21.
Refusing to go down without a fight, the Pirates rallied back and cut the lead down to 10 several times in the second half, the last time at the 61-51 tally late in the third.
Feeling the momentum on their side, the Pirates unleashed a quick 9-0 spurt behind consecutive baskets from Mclaude Guadana, Vincent Cunanan and Jierwin Guinto. Valdez then capped the run with a booming triple to break the double-digit barrier put up by San Beda.
A swift five-point swing from Bahio following his layup and an and-1 play rebuilt the lead back to double digit, 80-69. The Red Lions then banked on its defense in the next few sequences to keep the Pirates at bay.
The scores:
SAN BEDA 84 – Penuela 12, Bahio 12, Ynot 10, Kwekuteye 9, Cuntapay 9, Gallego 7, Cometa 5, Andrada 5, Amsali 4, Villejo 4, Alfaro 3, Abuda 2, Viser 1, Jopia 0, Sanchez 0.
LYCEUM 76 – Valdez 23, Navarro 15, Guinto 10, Umali 8, Cunanan 6, Remulla 5, Guadana 2, Lanupay 2, Barba 2, Abadeza 2, Bravo 2, Silvarez 0, Jabel 0, Garro 0.
Quarter scores: 25-18; 41-27; 65-51; 86-74
