Coming off two straight defeats hardly dented the confidence of the San Beda Red Lions, who brought an end to Letran College’s six-game winning streak with a pulsating 71-67 victory Wednesday in the last game of the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the packed Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
Nigerian center Sam Ekwe produced his finest performance of the season with 25 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks as the Lions finished with a 5-2 card for a share of second with Jose Rizal University.
“We really needed this win to be in a good position heading into the second round,” said San Beda coach Frankie Lim, whose team lost twice in a row last week. “It’s as if we didn’t lose last week. Everybody (in the team) was fired up, overflowing with confidence.”
The Lions compensated for their 34 turnovers by dominating the boards, 51-33.
With Ekwe imposing his will inside the paint, the Lions got off to a scintillating start, leading 24-14 at the end of the first period, before using an opening 9-0 blast midway in the third canto to open up a 55-36 advantage on a Pong Escobal free throw.
But Letran refused to bow out quietly as Jaypee Belencion put the Knights within three, 70-67, with a triple with 44.6 seconds left, after Ekwe made a 15-foot jumper in the previous possession.
The Knights were still in it, after Ekwe missed a short stab, but Reymar Gutilban committed a turnover and Escobal put the outcome beyond doubt by making a foul shot off Ray Dangcal with nine seconds remaining.
“We were under pressure and we committed mistakes, but we don’t blame anyone and just promised each other in the team not to lose again,” said Ekwe, whose wrong uniform cost the Lions their 71-54 victory over College of St. Benilde.
Letran coach Louie Alas attributed the loss to the Knights’ sluggish start.
“Our performance in the first half cost us the game,” said Alas. “We were very soft and we hardly challenged Ekwe.”
Earlier, the JRU Heavy Bombers won for the fifth straight time after subduing the Philippine Christian University Dolphins, 60-58, with big man James Sena nailing a short stab with 1.4 seconds left for the marginal basket.
In the lone juniors’ game, Kevin Alas scored 20 points to carry Letran to a 91-77 win over San Beda. The Squires improved to 4-2.
The senior scores:
First Game (Srs)
JRU 60—Sena 14, Wilson 12, Cagoco 11, Nocom 6, Njei 5, Bulangis 4, Agas 2, Apinan 0, Pradas 0, Montemayor 0, Kabigting 0, Almario 0.
PCU 58—Gomez 19, Navarro 19, Amparado 8, Siruma 5, Santos 3, San Pedro 2, Arce 2, Asuncion 0, Vidal 0, McCoy 0, Allen 0, Busa 0.
Quarters: 11-11, 28-26, 48-44, 60-58
Second Game (Srs)
SAN BEDA 71—Ekwe 25, Pascual 12, Menor 10, Hermida 10, Escobal 7, Gamalinda 2, Lanete 2, Taganas 2, Taupa 1, Marcelo 0, Tecson 0, Tirona 0.
LETRAN 67—Jazul 16, Cortez 10, Belencion 9, Del Rosario 8, Daa 7, Cabonce 6, Gutilban 4, Guevarra 4, Melegrito 3, Foronda 0, Dangcal 0, Latonio 0.
Quarters: 25-13, 46-36, 58-48, 71-67
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