San Beda University returned to the Final Four stage after surviving a gallant fight from Jose Rizal University, 64-62, in the NCAA Season 100 juniors basketball tournament on Monday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
The Red Cubs ended the elimination with a 6-3 card to book the semifinals ticket while also effectively shutting the playoff door on Mapua University (5-4), which earlier lost to San Sebastian College-Recoletos via a 79-74 defeat.
San Beda joined University of Perpetual Help System DALTA and Colegio de San Juan de Letran as the first semifinalists. Emilio Aguinaldo College and La Salle Green Hills are duking it out as of posting for the last Final Four spot.
Down three in the final two minutes, MJ Vailoces knocked down a corner three-pointer to tie things up at 62-all before Andrei Ugaddan sank a pair of free throws to give the Red Cubs a slim two-point lead in the final 39 seconds.
The Light Bombers had plenty of chances to force a deadlock but back-to-back misses from Khelian Taparan and CJ Satparam near the basket allowed San Beda to run away with the victory.
Vailoces led the charge with 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block while Ugaddan chipped in 18 markers, seven boards, one dime, and one steal.
In the first game, Mapua surprisingly dropped a tight 79-74 loss to lower-ranked San Sebastian despite staging a wild 17-7 closing run.
Staring at a 72-57 deficit late in the fourth, the Red Robins mounted a fightback with Yuri Duque waxing hot for two consecutive triples before Allan Laurenaria nailed a layup that made it a 67-74 affair.
Sean Salvador then buried a triple of his own before Duque's basket allowed Mapua to cut the deficit to two points, 74-76, with 24 seconds left in the game.
But a number of misses and turnovers cost Mapua the game with Benedick Jimenez sealing the San Sebastian victory with three straight free throws.
Sanlea Peñaverde led the charge with 28 points, four rebounds, and two assists while Jimenez put together 20 markers, eight boards, and one assist.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
