By Kevin Estrada
Defending champions San Beda capped off its first round schedule in the NCAA Season 100 Men’s Basketball tournament with a resounding 76-69 overtime win over Mapua, Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Red Lions survived a slugfest with the Cardinals in a rematch of last season’s finals, needing five more minutes to decide the outcome.
San Beda climbed to a share of second place along with Mapua and Letran with a 3-3 record.
“Everytime we play Mapua, those guys won’t give up. Have to give it to our boys for playing yung defense until the end,” said San Beda head coach Yuri Escueta,
Forward Yukien Andrada led San Beda with 18 points and 9 rebounds. James Payosing and John Bryan Sajonia added 15 and 10.
Clint Escamis top scored the Cardinals with 19 points, but was scoreless in the fourth quarter and overtime. Marc Cyrus Cuenco finished with a game-high 20 markers.
San Beda needed to fight back from an early deficit in the second quarter to make it a tight contest, evidenced by twelve ties and twelve lead changes.
A Chris Hubilla putback with 44.8 seconds remaining put the Cardinals ahead at 66-64, but the Red Lions forced overtime when Penny Estacio drove in a wide-open lay-up with seven seconds to go in regulation.
San Beda then went ahead for good in the extra session, as Andrada tacked on five straight points to overturn a slim, 68-69, deficit into a 73-69 lead with 1:13 left to seal the deal.
The scores:
SAN BEDA 76 – Andrada 18, Payosing 15, Sajonia 10, Estacio 9, Gonzales 6, Puno 6, Lina 5, Tagle 3, Celzo 2, Royo 2, Songcuya 0, Calimag 0
MAPUA 69 – Cuenco 20, Escamis 19, Concepcion 9, Mangubat 6, Hubilla 6, Bancale 5, Igliane 2, Jabonete 2, Ryan 0, Fermin 0
Quarter scores: 19-16, 30-38, 53-53, 66-66 (reg.), 76-69 (OT)
