By Kevin Estrada
Defending champions San Beda flexed their title credentials after they battered host school Lyceum, 79-63 to open the NCAA Season 100’s Men’s Basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday, September 7.
The Red Lions of head coach Yuri Escueta fired the opening salvo in a wire-to-wire mauling against the Pirates, sending a strong message to the rest of the league which celebrated its Centennial year.
“I’m just happy we were able to perform what we practice,” he said after the game.
Sajonia hit for 5/9 from the field to lead San Beda in scoring with 18 points and then added five rebounds, two assists, and a block in just sixteen minutes of on-court action after coming off the bench.
”Masaya na kami na nakuha na namin yung panalo,” the Iloilo native said.
However, he even stressed that there is still room to improve in a long season.
“Yung chemistry namin, andun na. Pero may mga kulang pa rin kami.”
Sajonia’s production underscored the importance of a deep roster, as the Red Lions’ second unit outscored their Pirate counterparts 43-18 all game long.
The depth enabled them to withstand the performance of Lyceum’s starting backcourt of Mclaude Guadaña and John Barba, who combined for 35 points in this game.
San Beda never gave Lyceum a chance in their dominating performance, leading by as much as 23 with 4:40 left in the contest after forward RC Calimag nailed a corner triple to give the Red Lions a 75-52 cushion.
The scores:
SAN BEDA 79 – Sajonia 18, Andrada 13, Payosing 8, Calimag 8, Bonzalida 7, Puno 6, Gonzales 5, Songcuya 5, Estacio 3, Jalbuena 2, Celzo 2, Royo 2, Calimag 0, Tagle 0, Culdora 0
LYCEUM 63 – Guadaña 22, Barba 13, Villegas 8, Montaño 5, Bravo 5, Cunanan 3, Moralejo 2, Pallingayan 2, Aviles 2, Panelo 1, Paulo 0, Gordon 0, Peñafiel 0, Caduyac 0, Daileg 0
Quarter scores: 29-11, 44-29, 59-44, 79-63
Images courtesy of NCAA Media Bureau
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