SAN Beda went on a big fourth quarter to clinch the top spot of Group B following a 96-82 comeback win over Emilio Aguinaldo College on Wednesday at the NCAA Season 101 at the Playtime Filoil Center.
Janti Miller and Bryan Sajonia took turns spearheading San Beda’s attack in that massive fourth quarter to stun the Generals after trailing by as many as 15 points in the game.
Miller first went on a personal 9-2 run to turn the tide for the Red Lions, giving San Beda an 87-81 lead before Sajonia took charge, going on an 8-1 run of his own to finally finish off the play-in bound Generals.
The win pushed the Red Lions to 9-3, meaning that whatever happens in the final two playdates of the group stages, they’d end up on top of their group and face the winner of the Lyceum - San Sebastian play-in game in the quarterfinals.
"That's the first goal of the team, getting the top two spots, one or two in order to get the twice to beat advantage. After this, yung next naman is to win the quarterfinals, one step at a time lang, at least yung first goal na-achieve na namin," San Beda coach Yuri Escueta as the highly-anticipated rivalry game against Letran this Sunday now becomes a non-bearing game.
Still, he wants nothing more than to bring all the momentum that they can entering the quarterfinals.
"Of course you want to bring that confidence and momentum coming into the quarterfinals, you don't want to be sloppy coming off a defeat. Everytime it's San Beda - Letran, you expect nothing less but to win against yung rival mo."
Sajonia tied his career high with 26 points while adding four rebounds, four assists and two steals to his name.
Yukien Andrada added 17 points and seven boards, while Miller also finished with 17, catching fire when it mattered the most by dropping nine in the fourth period.
It was a tough loss for the Generals which looked like it was going to muddy the top three seeds in Group B when it took a 42-27 lead in the second quarter.
But the Generals simply ran out of ammo, after getting outscored 27-9 in the payoff period.
Deo Lucero led the way for the 4-8 EAC with 14 points, while Kyle Ochavo added 11. The Generals, despite having one game to go, will be facing JRU in the play-in for fourth in Group B.
The scores:
SAN BEDA 96 – Sajonia 26, Andrada 17, Miller 17, Reyes 12, Celzo 11, Culdora 5, Gonzales 3, Etulle 3, Lina 2, Calimag 0, Bonzalida 0, Estacio 0, Jamora 0
EAC 82 – Lucero 14, Ochavo 11, Tolentino 10, Bagay 9, Angeles 7, Oftana 6, Bacud 6, Castillo 6, Loristo 4, Quinal 3, Shanoda 2, Jacob 2, Postanes 2, Dominguez 0, Villarente 0
Quarters: 23-33, 47-54, 69-73, 96-82
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