San Beda University reclaimed its lost glory and returned to a familiar situation after overcoming favorite Mapua University, 76-66, to reign supreme in the NCAA Season 99 men's basketball tournament on Sunday in front of a crowd of 23,077 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
San Beda outscored Mapua 23-9 in the fourth quarter, including a 10-0 run that allowed them to claim a 68-61 lead after entering the final period trailing the Cardinals.
Yukien Andrada led the way for the Red Lions, scoring nine of his game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter, including three big triples. James Payosing tallied a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds while Nygel Gonzales added 10 points, all of them in the first half.
Jacob Cortez finished with eight points and eight assists in the series clincher.
San Beda led 24-15 after a first quarter that saw eight different Red Lions score at least two points. But Mapua battled back in the second and third periods to take a 57-53 lead into the fourth.
The Red Lions needed to rise from the ashes after falling in Game 1 and moving on the brink of elimination.
But the Mendiola crew didn't fold in the face of adversity, carving out a gutsy 71-65 win in Game 2 despite squandering a 15-point lead.
This is San Beda's 23rd overall championship in the senior ranks and their first since 2018, when they swept Lyceum of the Philippines University in the finals to rule Season 94.
They then went on to struggle in the last few seasons, missing out the finals stage for back-to-back editions in Season 97 and 98.
The scores:
San Beda 76 - Andrada 20, Payosing 11, Gonzales 10, Cortez 8, Royo 6, Jopia 6, Tagle 4, Alfaro 4, Piano 3, Visser 2, Cuntapay 2.
Mapua 66 - Recto 18, Escamis 13, Rosillo 10, Hernandez 6, Cuenco 5, Dalisay 5, Bonifacio 4, Soriano 3, Fornis 2, Bancale 0, Sabsalon 0.
Quarters: 24-15, 36-35, 53-57, 76-66.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News