Lions pound Dolphins, share lead

Borgie Hermida fired eight of his 15 points down the stretch as San Beda repulsed Philippine Christian U, 72-63, yesterday to gain a share of the lead with Letran in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Astrodome.

Hermida delivered the key baskets, including a three-point play that broke what turned out to be the game’s last deadlock at 56.

A few plays later, Hermida buried a triple from the baseline as the Lions finally sank the Dolphins to notch their second straight victory.

“He made some key shots in the endgame,” said San Beda coach Frankie Lim.

Bam Bam Gamalinda also churned out a 15-point performance for the Lions, who could not seem to get their game going in the first three quarters.

Out to avenge its finals loss to San Beda two years ago, PCU came out smoking, racing to a 14-4 start and controlling the tempo majority of the match.

But the Red Lions rediscovered their rhythm in time with Hermida stepping up big with Gamalinda in the closing minutes of the contest.

“I told the guys during my pre-game that we beat PCU in 2006 and they’re still angry about it. And with (Beau) Belga, (Lei) Navarro and (Lisztian) Amparado around, the same guys who played in 2006, they have an axe to grind against us,” said Lim.