Red Lions eye NCAA title, Stags to equalize

Game Wednesday (Araneta Coliseum)
12 nn – San Beda College vs. San Sebastian College (Game 2)

THE  San Beda Red Lions fired the first shot in the battle. Now  the San Sebastian Stags hope to return fire in what is expected to be another all-out war between the two powerhouse squads in Game 2 of the 87th NCAA basketball finals at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Red Lions drew first blood, 75-63, in Game 1 in a highly-physical and intense contest that saw Baste head coach Topex Robinson get ejected late in the game because of two technical fouls.

The victory had the Red Lions moving a game away from sweeping the best-of-three title series, and they can close it out and clinch their sixth title in seven years if they beat the Stags anew today in Game 2 starting at 12 noon.

Game 1 was marked by several hard fouls, flying bodies and players writhing on the floor. The Stags and the Red Lions gave no quarter on defense, but in the end, San Beda’s well-oiled offensive spelled the difference.

Mar Villahermosa, playing in a position dominated by Garvo Lanete, who wasn’t himself in Game 1, played to his potential, hitting three treys, none bigger than the one that pushed the Stags into a hole in the dying minutes, 70-59, in the final 1:50 mark.

Villahermosa finished with 15 points, and saved his best in the fourth, where he had 10 crucial markers. Jake Pascual, who had to take the extra chore in defending against the bull-strong Calvin Abueva, added 14 markers while Dave Marcelo also had 14. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio