Games Friday
(La Salle Green Hills Gym)
12 noon – Arellano vs Lyceum
3 p.m. – SSC vs Benilde
By REYNALD MAGALLON
San Beda used a second quarter flurry to dispatch Perpetual Help, 78-71, and assure itself of at least a play-in spot in the NCAA Season 97 playoffs Wednesday at the La Salle Green Hills Gym.
The Red Lions went on a scoring spree in the second frame, exploding for 32 points to build a double-digit spread which they never surrendered to move a win away from a sure spot in the Final Four.
James Kwekuteye was again at the forefront of the team’s attack, finishing with 18 points while Yukien Andrada provided the spark in the telling run and wound up with 15 points in just 16 minutes of play.
“I do thank my players because they really played within our system, they really followed our game plan even though Perpetual came back a little bit in the fourth quarter but I’m happy we gathered and we stopped the bleeding and we won this game,” said San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez.
The Red Lions typified their depth anew with 26 points off the bench during the second quarter explosion.
Kim Aurin paced the Altas with 16 points while Jielo Razon and Cris Pagaran added 15 and 13 markers respectively but still weren’t enough to tame the mighty Red Lions.
With Perpetual hanging tough in the opening frame, San Beda stepped its foot on the gas pedal, embarking to a 13-1 start in the second quarter capped by a Winston Ynot trey and a Rhayyan Amsali transition layup to build a 35-23 lead.
The Red Lions left the Altas in the dust from that point as they kept the double digit spread at the half, 48-34, and after the third canto, 64-50.
Perpetual made a last-ditch run with a quick 8-0 spurt to cut the deficit to single digits, 74-67 late but it was easily doused by back-to-back baskets from Peter Alfaro and Kwekuteye.
The win also came as a huge confidence booster for the Red Lions ahead of the grueling final stretch of their schedule where they are set to face three teams currently resting in the upper half of the standings.
San Beda has the chance to secure a Final Four berth when it guns for win No. 7 against Mapua, before rounding up its schedule against St. Benilde and Letran.
The scores:
SAN BEDA 78 — Kwekuteye 18, Andrada 15, Amsali 9, Alfaro 9, Cuntapay 6, Ynot 5, Penuela 4, Bahio 4, Jopia 4, Gallego 2, Cometa 2, Villejo 0, Visser 0, Sanchez 0, Abuda 0.
PERPETUAL 71 — Aurin 16, Razon 15, Pagaran 13, Martel 12, Ferreras 3, Boral 3, Egan 2, Sevilla 2, Abis 2, Omega 2, Cuevas 1, Barcuma 0, Nunez 0, Kawamura 0.
Quarters: 16-16, 48-34, 64-50, 78-71
