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NCAA Season 85 hosts and three-time defending champion San Beda College opened its title defense with an 85-52 thumping of the Mapua Cardinals at the Araneta Coliseum last June 27, 2009.

Playmaker Chico Tirona drew first blood for the Red Lions, who ended the opening quarter with a bang after an emphatic jam by American slotman Sudan Daniel. The quintet from Intramuros groped for form all game long despite pressing the Lions for most of the game.

Bam Gamalinda led the Lions with 14 points while Daniel registered 13 in his debut. Paul Cinco and Mark Acosta scored 10 apiece for the Cards, who paraded a debuting head coach in former Mapua stalwart Chito Victolero.

In the day’s second game, Jose Rizal University staved off a late Colegio de San Juan de Letran rally en route to a 69-66 win.. John Wilson led the Heavy Bombers with 21 points while James Sena followed up with 18. The power five of Wilson, Sena, Marvin Hayes, Mark Cagoco and Nchotu Njei made the Knights scramble on defense throughout the game and led by double-digits in the third period. The Knights bounced back, however, and launched a 10-0 run in the last three minutes of the game to close in on the Shaw outfit. A botched Letran possession in the dying seconds of the game handed JRU the ballgame.

RJ Jazul managed to tally 15 markers in a losing cause despite facing double- and triple-teams.

Meanwhile, the San Sebastian Stags devoured the University of Perpetual Help Altas, 76-64 in the nightcap. The Stags were able to pull off a shooting barrage over the Altas early, leading by as much as 27 in the second quarter while putting the clamps on Season 84 Mythical Five member Raffy Ynion, who was held to only two points in the entire first half. Stags guard Jimbo Aquino led his team with 20 points, while Chris Elopre paced the losing Altas with 19.

The Scores:

First game

San Beda 85 – Gamalinda 14, Daniel 13, Pascual 11, Lanete 11, Caram 10, Marcelo 8, dela Rosa 4, Hermida 4, Tecson 4, Lim 2, Taganas 2, Tirona 2, Villanueva 0, Soliman 0.

Mapua 52 – Cinco 10, Acosta 10, Guillermo 7, Raneses 7, Mangahas 6, Soriano 5, Espinosa 5, Sarangay 1, Cornejo 1, Stevens 0, Pascual 0, Parala 0, Maniego 0.

Second game

JRU 69 – Wilson 21, Sena 18, Hayes 14, Cagoco 8, Bulangis 3, Njei 2, Apinan 2, Matute 1, Montemayor 0, Kabigting 0, Agas 0.

Letran 66 – Jazul 15, K. Alas 11, Gutilban 11, Guevarra 9, del Rosario 7, Cortes 4, Foronda 4, Taplah 3, Pantin 2, Datang 0, Belencion 0, J. Alas 0.

Third game

San Sebastian 76 – Aquino 20, Bulawan 15, Semira 9, Sangalang 9, Maconocido 9, Raymundo 5, Abueva 4, Najorda 4, Pascual 1, del Rio 0.

UPHSD 64 – Elopre 19, Ynion 16, Galabin 11, Salanga 6, Salvado 3, Hainga 3, Carrullo 3, Liaz 2, Vivero 1, Rono 0, Sicat 0.

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