IT needed an improbable game-winning floater from the free throw line just to force a sudden death for the remaining finals berth in NCAA Season 101.
There would be no such thing on Sunday inside a rocking Araneta Coliseum, as San Beda left no doubt in stopping Benilde, 84-81, in Game Two of the semifinals and staking its place opposite archrival Letran in the best-of-three finals.
Three days from getting stunned at the buzzer, the Red Lions roared back to life even as the Blazers rode the momentum from Ian Torres’ game-winning floater in the nip-and-tuck affair.
READ: Torres saves Benilde's season in comeback vs Miller-less San Beda
"This is a game of character for us. What are we made of and what do we have inside of us? Today, they showed heart," head coach Yuri Escueta said in his post-game conference.
Janti Miller’s and-one then Bryan Sajonia’s triple broke a 72-all deadlock for a 78-72 advantage in favor of the red-and-white inside the last five minutes.
Allen Liwag kept the Taft-based team coming, though, and even had a chance to snatch away the lead with less than a minute left only to get stymied by Bismarck Lina at the post. Teammate Tony Ynot took hold of the loose ball then put up a wild shot before Yukien Andrada collared the rebound for San Beda.
Sent to the line, Andrada coolly converted his couple of charities for what would prove to be the game-winning margin.
Still, Benilde had 24.8 seconds on the clock as well as a timeout to make something happen, but Torres and Ynot took too long to decide what to do, as the latter forced a heave that went wide with just seven ticks to go. Jhommel Ancheta got the offensive rebound, but by then, the clock ran out on their title hopes.
No goodbyes today for Yuki
Andrada topped the scoring column for the Red Lions with 27 points built on seven triples, as Miller also added 26 markers, six rebounds, and two steals in his return from a one-game absence due to a knee contusion.
"There was one guy na ayaw magpatalo today, si Yuki. Wala na akong ibang masabi," Escueta said of Andrada, who will play two more games, at least, for San Beda before playing for Magnolia.
Sajonia chimed in 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists, as Nygel Gonzales stuffed the stat sheet with seven markers, seven dimes, and four boards, all while turning up the pressure on Torres.
Escueta called on them to bring the same sort of energy and effort against the Knights, winners of their last six games, in Game One of the Finals on Wednesday at Araneta Coliseum.
Ynot fronted the effort for the Blazers with 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists, as Raffy Celis chipped in 14 markers and six boards. Torres still scored 12 points, but struggled from the field with a 4-off-11 clip.
Reigning MVP Liwag wound up with 10 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in his last game for Benilde, as he now turns his attention to helping Gilas Pilipinas in the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
The Scores:
SAN BEDA 84 – Andrada 27, Miller 26, Sajonia 10, Gonzales 7, Puno 6, Celzo 4, Lina 4, Reyes 0, Etulle 0, Estacio 0, Songcuya 0
BENILDE 81 – Ynot 18, Celis 14, Torres 12, Liwag 10, Cajucom 10, Ancheta 7, Umali 6, Sanchez 4, Morales 0, Gaspay 0, Cometa 0
Quarters: 21-26, 34-45, 59-64, 84-81
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