The San Beda Red Lions gun for their fifth straight title in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament as they seek to sweep the Arellano University Chiefs today in Game 2 of the best-of-three finals series over at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Red Lions took a step closer towards their eighth title in nine years and 19th overall with a 74-66 win in Game 1 last Monday. Though they led by as much as 15 points, the Red Lions needed timely contributions from Art dela Cruz and Baser Amer whose triple blew the wind out of the Chiefs’ sails at it gave them a 72-59 lead with a little over a minute remaining.
Amer, the Davao native, finished with a game high 17 points even as Nigerian center Ola Adeogun and Anthony Semerad added 14 markers each. Dela Cruz had 13 points. Their league-best defense also kept the Chiefs’ high-octane offense in check, limiting Arellano University to just 34 percent shooting from the field.
Worse, the Chiefs made just 48 percent of their free throws with Keith Agovida accountable for nine of those misses. Agovida though, was the Chiefs’ top performer in Game 1 with 14 points and 17 rebounds while Rookie of the Year Dioncee Holts added 11.
However, the Chiefs’ engine — the backcourt of Jovanie Jalalon and the pro-bound Nards Pinto — managed just a combined 15 points.