THE SAN BEDA Red Lions are now just a win away from their 16th title in the NCAA after they got past the San Sebastian Stags, 75-63, in a rough-and-tumble Game 1 of the best-of-three finals series in the 87th NCAA basketball tournament yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Red Lions turned to their unsung heroes, notably Cebuano guard Jessmar Villahermosa, to break the game wide open in the final period.
The game was tied at 52-all heading to the fourth canto when Villahermosa, a former stalwart of the University of San Jose-Recoletos, exploded for 10 of his 15 markers in that stretch to push the Red Lions to the win.
Villahermosa, a former three-point shootout champion in the Cesafi, shot in five straight points, including a trey at the start of the fourth which gave San Beda a 57-53 lead.
From thereonend, things unraveled for the Stags as the Red Lions uncorked a 10-2 run which was capped off by an undergoal stab and a free-throw by rookie guard Baser Amer for a 67-57 lead.
Villahermosa sealed the win with a booming trifecta from the left wing that gave them a 70-59 lead with 1:59 left.
Big man Dave Marcelo also chipped in with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, which offset the terrible performance of top gunner Garvo Lanete./Correspondent Jonas Panerio