The San Beda Red Lions clinched their place in the Final Four after defeating the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers, 63-57, in the NCAA Season 97 men’s basketball play-in round on Sunday at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
James Kwekuteye scored 17 points, including eight in the fourth quarter, on 6-for-9 (67-percent) shooting from the field to lead the Red Lions to the important victory.
Big man Yukien Andrada contributed 11 points, including three triples, to the San Beda cause while his former Red Cubs teammate Tony Ynot added eight markers and seven boards.
With the win, San Beda sets up a semifinal meeting against #2-ranked Mapua, the team that upset the Red Lions and handed them their first loss of the elimination round. The Cardinals will hold a twice-to-beat advantage.
CSB, meanwhile, will have to face the winner of the second play-in game between the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas and the Arellano University Chiefs for the last ticket to the Final Four.
The San Beda bench gave their team a huge lift early as former Red Cubs Andrada, Rhayyan Amsali, and Justine Sanchez all contributed to an 11-1 run to close the opening period with the Red Lions leading, 18-7.
A staunch defensive effort from CSB in the second quarter allowed them to get back in the game. They allowed only two San Beda points over seven minutes as they crept their way back to within three, 20-17.
But Kwekuteye broke through the Blazers’ defense, knocking down two huge triples to make it 26-17 before the teams entered the break with the Red Lions ahead by six, 26-20, in a low scoring first half.
Kwekuteye led all scorers at the half with nine points on 3-of-4 (75-percent) shooting from three-point range.
Saint Benilde’s Robi Nayve and Will Gozum combined to shoot 0-for-12 from the field over the first two periods, but the Blazers were led by AJ Benson and Ladis Lepalam, who chipped in with four points apiece.
CSB finally got its offense rolling as they went on an 8-0 run, capped by Gozum’s first field goal, to open the third quarter. But some big shots from Andrada and Ynot in response allowed San Beda to reclaim the lead and head into the fourth with a slim 40-37 advantage.
But Kwekuteye took over the fourth, scoring eight points in a 17-6 run for San Beda, which took a comfortable 57-43 advantage with 3:37 remaining.
The Red Lions suffered a huge scare, though, as the star guard was carried off the floor after he hurt his ankle in an unfortunate scramble for the ball with CSB’s Benson. The injury came amidst a furious late-game rally by the Blazers, who came back to as close as five points, but clutch free throws from Ralph Peneula iced the contest in the dying seconds.
Kwekuteye is expected to be back for their next game.
Nayve, despite his shooting struggles, led the Blazers with 10 points, with most of those coming from the free throw line, where he went 7-for-7.
Gozum finished with eight points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks but shot 4-for-19 from the field for a 21.1-percent clip.
The scores:
San Beda 63 - Kwekuteye 17, Andrada 11, Ynot 8, Bahio 6, Penuela 5, Cuntapay 4, Sanchez 4, Amsali 4, Alfaro 3, Cortez 1, Abuda 0, Gallego 0, Jopia 0.
Saint Benilde 57 - Nayve 10, Marcos 9, Gozum 8, Lepalam 8, Carlos 6, Benson 6, Cullar 3, Lim 3, Flores 3, Sangco 1, Publico 0, Davis 0.
Quarters: 18-7, 26-20, 40-37, 63-57.
—JMB, GMA News
