MARINERONG Pilipino-San Beda University got the job done yesterday and notched a coveted goal against Centro Escolar University– by the skin of its teeth.
Averting what could have been a huge meltdown, the Red Lions subdued the gritty Scorpions 81-72 to clinch an outright semifinals slot in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup at The Arena in San Juan.
Jacob Cortez totaled 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals for San Beda.Skipper Peter Alfaro and Yukien Andrada also added 11 markers each, while Clifford Jopia had 11 points and 16 rebounds for the Lions, who wound up with a 5-1 mark at the end of their eliminations campaign.
San Beda demolished also-ran AMA Online 119-70 13 days ago.
“The incentive of being No. 1 and being in the semis is of course a welcome for us but at the same time, hindi kami puwedeng mag-relax,” Lions coach Yuri Escueta said after his wards squandered a 17-point lead.
“Tataas iyong laro sa playoffs so we have to be prepared,” he added.
San Beda will finish as top seed regardless of the outcome of the last tiff of EcoOil-La Salle (4-1) against Wangs Basketball @27 Strikers-Letran by virtue of an 82-79 win in their earlier meeting.
Later, the Knights outlasted Perpetual Help 62-61 to keep alive their drive for a top two finish.
Kurt Reyson scored on a tough lay-up off the glass in the last seven seconds before Letran foiled the last attempt of Cyrus Nitura at the buzzer for the Knights’ third victory in a row that pushed them to 3-2.
“May pag-asa pa sa semis. Ginusto ng mga bata na manalo this game para sa tsansa na iyon. They worked hard for this,” Letran strategist Rensy Bajar said.
