Lions extend reign, win fifth-straight crown

Game Saturday

(MOA Arena)

2:30 p.m. – Mapua vs San Beda (Game 3 jrs)

MANILA, Philippines – The dynasty continues.

San Beda went on an unforgiving run in the first half and never looked back, hammering out a one-sided 89-70 victory over a jittery Arellano University Wednesday to complete a sweep and stretch its dynastic reign to another season before a sea of red and blue at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.

It was another dominating performance by the Lions – who seized a 74-66 victory in Monday's series opener in a game they never trailed – clinching a fifth straight championship, an eighth in the last nine years and a league-best 19th overall.

So imposing were the Lions that they trailed only twice, both coming in the early minutes of Game Two, and allowed just three deadlocks the whole series.

In the juniors' finale, the Red Cubs leaned on Marc Diputado's 19-point effort as it downed the Mapua Red Robins, 78-68, to forge a deciding Game Three on Saturday at the same venue.

Mapua took the opener, 84-75.

Tied on top with 20 championships apiece, the winner of the San Beda-Mapua duel will end up as the most titled high school in the league.

The Lions were already celebrating as early as the middle of the fourth quarter.

When the final buzzer sounded, San Beda, wearing red shirts with five-peat champions imprinted on it, spilled into the court and relished the win as their fans, including chief patron and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan, also went into frantic celebration.

Fil-Aussie Anthony Semerad exploded with a career-high 30 points, including 12 garbage points in the fourth quarter.

Semerad, who scored 14 in Game One, was later named Finals MVP.       

There were other heroes too.

Nigerian Ola Adeogun had monster series averages of 14.5 points, 11 rebounds and 3.5 blocks while Dela Cruz was equally solid with a double-double in Game Two with 12 points and 10 boards.

Fil-Am Kyle Pascual, who is expected to sign up with Manny Pacquiao and KIA, played his last game in red and white uniform by pounding his way to 16 points and eight caroms.

He came out the only San Beda player that took part in its last five crowns.

For Baser Amer, he had a series-high 13 assists to go with four points and the same number of rebounds. He finished the series norming 10.5 points, 10 assists and 4.5 boards.

And this could be Amer's last game.

"I'm not sure if I'm coming back next year," said the 22-year-old Amer, who is still eligible for one more year after playing only four seasons.

Arellano U just folded in its first ever finals stint since joining the league five seasons back.

It didn't help that the Chiefs were assessed 37 fouls as against the Lions' 26, turning Game Two in a free throw shooting contest.

San Beda shot a ridiculous 50 charities, making 35 of them, while the Chiefs went to the foul line just 24 times and draining 15.

While the Lions were in pandemonium, the Chiefs went straight home, probably thinking of what may have been.

The scores:

First Game (jrs)

San Beda 78 – Diputado 19, Caracut 16, Abatayo 13, Alas 9, Decapia 7, Bordeus 7, Abuhijle 4, Furaque 3, Framil 0

Mapua 68 – Velvez 17, Calderon 8, Aguirre 8, Victoria 6, Lugo 3, Pascua 3, Bonifacio 3, Enriquez 0, Salenga 0, Cabural 0, Concepcion 0

Quarterscores: 21-14; 40-32; 65-50; 78-68

Second Game (srs)

San Beda 89 – A. Semerad 30, Pascual 16, Adeogun 15, Dela Cruz 12, Mendoza 6, Sara 6, Amer 4, Koga 0, D. Semerad 0, Tongco 0

Arellano U 70 – Agovida 22, Ciriacruz 15, Jalalon 6, Hernandez 6, Enriquez 6, Holts 6, Pinto 3, Salcedo 2, Bangga 2, Ortega 2, Gumaru 0, Nicholls 0, Caperal 0, Cadavis 0

Quarterscores: 22-14; 39-25; 63-52; 89-70