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FOR the past five seasons, the Mendiola faithful have been haunted by the question as to whether San Beda College could truly win an NCAA Championship without the help of a dominant foreign player.
But, on this Wednesday, October 26, the Red Lions finally erased all of the doubt by sweeping their NCAA Season 87 Finals series against San Sebastian College-Recoletos. After seizing Game 1, 75-63 last Monday, the Red Lions finished the job in Game 2, edging the Stags with a 57-55 series clincher.
And they did as a team.
In his fifth season as the head coach of his alma mater, Frankie Lim stated that this would be his toughest challenge yet due to the loss of the Los Angeles-born Sudan Daniel after the 6’8” center suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the preseason.
“Masyadong malaki yung pagkawala ni Sudan sa amin. Marami kaming ginawa na adjustments to compensate for his loss. I told my players, ‘Wala na si Su. It’s all yours. Sa inyo nalang yan. Deliver the goods for us.’ The best part about that is that my guys responded to the challenge, especially the bigs. They did their work,” said Lim.
Entering the game only averaging 3.1 points per game, Fil-Australian David Semerad rose to the occasion and became the unlikely hero of Game 2. His team-high 15 points was a career-high and it couldn’t have come at a better time. “Today, I think the big surprise for San Sebastian was DJ Semerad. He responded well after Jake Pascual was saddled with foul trouble. Most importantly, he held his own against [Calvin] Abueva,” added Lim.
A bruising effort was required to limit to scoring output of “The Beast” as Lim’s big men took turns in this Finals series defending the league’s MVP. After averaging 21.5 points per game in the elimination round and the Final Four, Abueva was limited to just 12 points per outing in the two-game finals.
In the second quarter, the Stags threatened to pull away after a barrage of three-point baskets from Ronald Pascual. Pascual exploded for three triples in that canto. But, according to Lim, that run by the Stags didn’t really worry him much. “Nagpakawala sila ng mga three-point shots. Si Abueva naka-isa at si Pascual, naka-tatlo. Si Rome (de la Rosa), medyo nag-struggle sa depensa. The biggest lead was just eight points. It was manageable. We adjusted in the second half. We decided to switch sa handoff ni Abueva to Pascual,” Lim revealed. That ploy worked to perfection as Pascual, who would go on to finish the game with a team-high 15 points, made only one more basket from downtown in the second half.
The fourth quarter saw a high level of defensive intensity coming from both teams as they battled it out in an ultra physical tug-of-war. “Both teams played great defense. There was a stretch siguro mga anim na baba at walang naka-score,” described Lim.
At one, bizarre point of that scoreless series of possessions, Calvin Abueva was caught delivering a headbutt straight to the jaw of Semerad with 5:53 remaining in regulation. That forced the referees to slap a flagrant foul on him with the Red Lions up by 2, 54-52. Semerad made one of two free throws to hike his team’s lead to three, 55-52.
Soon after, Abueva managed to draw a foul to earn a much needed trip to the free throw line. After making the first charity to cut the deficit to just two points, 55-53, the Stags failed on a great opportunity to knot the ballgame up. Abueva missed the second freebie, which led to a hard scramble for the loose ball. Pascual then muffed a short stab and Abueva overshot an offensive putback. Those misses proved to be costly for them.
On the other end, Garvo Lanete, who had just recovered from a fever, came up with the play of the game as he drove to the hoop before dishing off to a cutting Semerad on the baseline for an easy two. San Sebastian did answer on the other end, courtesy of a Jovit dela Cruz jumper, but the score would remain as is after that, 57-55 until the final buzzer.
With about four seconds remaining in the game, the Stags once again executed their handoff play to set up a Pascual three. Pascual found himself open on the right wing for the potential game-winner.
But, he missed.
Abueva touched the ball last with still 2.9 seconds to play. San Beda called its final timeout and the Stags, who had already used up all their timeouts, oddly opted not to foul anymore, allowing the Red Lions to repeat as back-to-back champions of the league.
Veteran center Dave Marcelo was hailed as the Finals MVP of the Finals after averaging a monstrous 13.5 rebounds and eight points per game in the series. In his 8th straight year proudly donning the San Beda jersey, Marcelo has won a total of 4 NCAA seniors crowns and an NCAA juniors title in 2004.
“Sinabi ni Coach na ilabas niyo na yung lahat ng kaya niyo ilabas sa championship. Alam namin dalawang panalo na lang ang kailangan namin para makuha yung championship. Masaya ako kaso nahirapan din kami. Kaya naman manalo as long as we stick together. Yun yung formula namin: Teamwork. We must win as a team,” said the graduating Marcelo, one of four Red Lions playing out their final year of eligibility. The other three graduation players are Garvo Lanete, Mar Villahermosa and Sudan Daniel.
With this championship, Lim may have just solidified his position as one of the most successful coaches in NCAA history. In five seasons, he has won four titles with an overall record of 84 wins and just 12 losses. “Kada taon naman, tuwing nag-cha-champion kami, it’s always sweet. Dahil siyempre, lahat yun pinaghirapan namin the whole year. Ito yung inaasahan naming na prize para sa amin,” said Lim.
“I was telling one of my assistant coaches, Ed Cordero, that I had a good feeling that we were going to win the championship but hindi ko naisip na were going to have a record of only two losses,” he added. San Beda finished Season 87 with a total of 20 wins and only two defeats.
San Sebastian may have snapped the Red Lions’ 26-game winning streak in their first round encounter, but according to Lim, getting back at the Stags later in the season was vital in building his team’s confidence entering the finals. “Yung back-to-back wins (2nd round of elims. and playoff for number one spot) against Baste made a huge difference. Ibig sabihin, hindi sila malakas. Kaya namin silang talunin kahit wala si Sudan,” he stressed.
San Beda College has now tied Colegio de San Juan de Letran for the most number of NCAA seniors basketball titles in league history with 16.
And even though the future still looks bright for the Red Lions because of some exciting recruits awaiting their turn for a shot at supremacy, Lim chose not speak about next season but rather enjoy the moment at-hand.
“Isa pang maganda sa amin yung mga naglalaro off the bench. These guys delivered for us in the finals. It’s called a team effort. Pag hindi nakabigay yung kapatid mo, kailangan ikaw, saluhin mo,” exclaimed Lim, who also won back-to-back NCAA titles as a player for San Beda College in 1977 and 1978.
“Para sa akin, it’s perfect. This team is perfect.”
The scores:
San Beda 57 – D. Semerad 15, Caram 10, Villahermosa 8, Amer 7, de la Rosa 5, K. Pascual 4, Marcelo 2, Lanete 2, A. Semerad 2, J. Pascual 2.
San Sebastian 55 – Pascual 15, Sangalang 13, Abueva 12, Miranda 5, dela Cruz 4, Antipuesto 4, del Rio 2, Vitug 0, Maiquez 0.
Source: Anton Roxas, inboundpass.com
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FOR the past five seasons, the Mendiola faithful have been haunted by the question as to whether San Beda College could truly win an NCAA Championship without the help of a dominant foreign player.
But, on this Wednesday, October 26, the Red Lions finally erased all of the doubt by sweeping their NCAA Season 87 Finals series against San Sebastian College-Recoletos. After seizing Game 1, 75-63 last Monday, the Red Lions finished the job in Game 2, edging the Stags with a 57-55 series clincher.
And they did as a team.
In his fifth season as the head coach of his alma mater, Frankie Lim stated that this would be his toughest challenge yet due to the loss of the Los Angeles-born Sudan Daniel after the 6’8” center suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the preseason.
“Masyadong malaki yung pagkawala ni Sudan sa amin. Marami kaming ginawa na adjustments to compensate for his loss. I told my players, ‘Wala na si Su. It’s all yours. Sa inyo nalang yan. Deliver the goods for us.’ The best part about that is that my guys responded to the challenge, especially the bigs. They did their work,” said Lim.
Entering the game only averaging 3.1 points per game, Fil-Australian David Semerad rose to the occasion and became the unlikely hero of Game 2. His team-high 15 points was a career-high and it couldn’t have come at a better time. “Today, I think the big surprise for San Sebastian was DJ Semerad. He responded well after Jake Pascual was saddled with foul trouble. Most importantly, he held his own against [Calvin] Abueva,” added Lim.
A bruising effort was required to limit to scoring output of “The Beast” as Lim’s big men took turns in this Finals series defending the league’s MVP. After averaging 21.5 points per game in the elimination round and the Final Four, Abueva was limited to just 12 points per outing in the two-game finals.
In the second quarter, the Stags threatened to pull away after a barrage of three-point baskets from Ronald Pascual. Pascual exploded for three triples in that canto. But, according to Lim, that run by the Stags didn’t really worry him much. “Nagpakawala sila ng mga three-point shots. Si Abueva naka-isa at si Pascual, naka-tatlo. Si Rome (de la Rosa), medyo nag-struggle sa depensa. The biggest lead was just eight points. It was manageable. We adjusted in the second half. We decided to switch sa handoff ni Abueva to Pascual,” Lim revealed. That ploy worked to perfection as Pascual, who would go on to finish the game with a team-high 15 points, made only one more basket from downtown in the second half.
The fourth quarter saw a high level of defensive intensity coming from both teams as they battled it out in an ultra physical tug-of-war. “Both teams played great defense. There was a stretch siguro mga anim na baba at walang naka-score,” described Lim.
At one, bizarre point of that scoreless series of possessions, Calvin Abueva was caught delivering a headbutt straight to the jaw of Semerad with 5:53 remaining in regulation. That forced the referees to slap a flagrant foul on him with the Red Lions up by 2, 54-52. Semerad made one of two free throws to hike his team’s lead to three, 55-52.
Soon after, Abueva managed to draw a foul to earn a much needed trip to the free throw line. After making the first charity to cut the deficit to just two points, 55-53, the Stags failed on a great opportunity to knot the ballgame up. Abueva missed the second freebie, which led to a hard scramble for the loose ball. Pascual then muffed a short stab and Abueva overshot an offensive putback. Those misses proved to be costly for them.
On the other end, Garvo Lanete, who had just recovered from a fever, came up with the play of the game as he drove to the hoop before dishing off to a cutting Semerad on the baseline for an easy two. San Sebastian did answer on the other end, courtesy of a Jovit dela Cruz jumper, but the score would remain as is after that, 57-55 until the final buzzer.
With about four seconds remaining in the game, the Stags once again executed their handoff play to set up a Pascual three. Pascual found himself open on the right wing for the potential game-winner.
But, he missed.
Abueva touched the ball last with still 2.9 seconds to play. San Beda called its final timeout and the Stags, who had already used up all their timeouts, oddly opted not to foul anymore, allowing the Red Lions to repeat as back-to-back champions of the league.
Veteran center Dave Marcelo was hailed as the Finals MVP of the Finals after averaging a monstrous 13.5 rebounds and eight points per game in the series. In his 8th straight year proudly donning the San Beda jersey, Marcelo has won a total of 4 NCAA seniors crowns and an NCAA juniors title in 2004.
“Sinabi ni Coach na ilabas niyo na yung lahat ng kaya niyo ilabas sa championship. Alam namin dalawang panalo na lang ang kailangan namin para makuha yung championship. Masaya ako kaso nahirapan din kami. Kaya naman manalo as long as we stick together. Yun yung formula namin: Teamwork. We must win as a team,” said the graduating Marcelo, one of four Red Lions playing out their final year of eligibility. The other three graduation players are Garvo Lanete, Mar Villahermosa and Sudan Daniel.
With this championship, Lim may have just solidified his position as one of the most successful coaches in NCAA history. In five seasons, he has won four titles with an overall record of 84 wins and just 12 losses. “Kada taon naman, tuwing nag-cha-champion kami, it’s always sweet. Dahil siyempre, lahat yun pinaghirapan namin the whole year. Ito yung inaasahan naming na prize para sa amin,” said Lim.
“I was telling one of my assistant coaches, Ed Cordero, that I had a good feeling that we were going to win the championship but hindi ko naisip na were going to have a record of only two losses,” he added. San Beda finished Season 87 with a total of 20 wins and only two defeats.
San Sebastian may have snapped the Red Lions’ 26-game winning streak in their first round encounter, but according to Lim, getting back at the Stags later in the season was vital in building his team’s confidence entering the finals. “Yung back-to-back wins (2nd round of elims. and playoff for number one spot) against Baste made a huge difference. Ibig sabihin, hindi sila malakas. Kaya namin silang talunin kahit wala si Sudan,” he stressed.
San Beda College has now tied Colegio de San Juan de Letran for the most number of NCAA seniors basketball titles in league history with 16.
And even though the future still looks bright for the Red Lions because of some exciting recruits awaiting their turn for a shot at supremacy, Lim chose not speak about next season but rather enjoy the moment at-hand.
“Isa pang maganda sa amin yung mga naglalaro off the bench. These guys delivered for us in the finals. It’s called a team effort. Pag hindi nakabigay yung kapatid mo, kailangan ikaw, saluhin mo,” exclaimed Lim, who also won back-to-back NCAA titles as a player for San Beda College in 1977 and 1978.
“Para sa akin, it’s perfect. This team is perfect.”
The scores:
San Beda 57 – D. Semerad 15, Caram 10, Villahermosa 8, Amer 7, de la Rosa 5, K. Pascual 4, Marcelo 2, Lanete 2, A. Semerad 2, J. Pascual 2.
San Sebastian 55 – Pascual 15, Sangalang 13, Abueva 12, Miranda 5, dela Cruz 4, Antipuesto 4, del Rio 2, Vitug 0, Maiquez 0.
Source: Anton Roxas, inboundpass.com
