St. Benilde enters Juniors final vs Cubs

Games tomorrow (Mall of Asia Arena)

12:30 p.m. – SBC vs LSGH-CSB (jrs finals)

2:30 p.m. – SBC vs CSJL (srs finals)

MANILA, Philippines - MVP Prince Rivero and center Alexis Barrera played the key role as La Salle Greenhills-College of St. Benilde beat San Sebastian in the stepladder semis, 76-72, to forge a title duel with unbeaten San Beda in the 89th NCAA juniors basketball tourney yesterday at the San Juan Arena.

Rivero and Barrera combined for 15 points in the payoff period as the Greenies wrested control from the Staglets and earned the right to face waiting finalist Red Cubs beginning tomorrow.

The four-peat-seeking Cubs enjoy thrice-to-beat advantage in the championship round as incentive for sweeping the 18-game elims.

“No one expected us to be here but we are here. We just have to make the most out of it,” said Greenies coach John Flores.

The Greenies finished third in the elims with 13-5 and had to hurdle No. 4 Mapua in the first phase of the stepladder semis last Thursday, 59-56, to earn a shot at the No. 2 Staglets.

Rivero scattered 21 markers, including nine in the fourth, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished off three assists, the highlight of which was a perfect feed to an open Barrera that gave LSGH-CSB a 74-68 cushion going to the last 39.7 seconds.

Barrera himself finished in double-double, pouring in 19 points, including four in a 7-2 blast that gave the Greenies the needed cushion in the stretch. He also grabbed 10 rebounds.

“We executed better in the fourth quarter and, most important, Prince created for his teammates in the last one-and-a-half minute,” said Flores.

Michael Dela Cruz fired five triples for 18 points and Kobe Paras shot 17 markers spiked by three treys.

San Sebastian, last year’s losing finalist, made CSB-LSGH play catch up most of the way, seizing its biggest lead at 26-16 halfway through the second canto.

“We started out bad. We didn’t have much time to prepare against the game of San Sebastian but we persevered,” said Rivero.