Stags see off depleted San Beda in rugged tussle
Monday, 5 December 2011 95 Comments
WITH tensions between San Sebastian College-Recoletos and San Beda College at an all-time high, their 2011 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Final Four matchup was like a powder keg, waiting to explode. And explode it did.
The Stags, champions of the Luzon-Metro Manila bracket and NCAA Season 87 runners-up, survived multiple unsportsmanlike fouls, a scary Ronald Pascual injury and a fourth quarter brawl to take an 87-72 win over a depleted Red Lions quintet last December 5 at the Arena in San Juan.
San Sebastian was up 83-70 with 2:23 left in the game when Kyle Pascual’s forearm caught the nape of Calvin Abueva from behind, to which Abueva responded to by swinging his arm, hitting his defender, Rome de la Rosa. Pint-sized Anjo Caram then got into the scrum, which got players and coaches from both teams off their seats and onto the court, as they, along with uniformed security, separated the two parties. Not only were Pascual and Abueva ejected, but four Stags, Josh Grilli, Arvin Vitug, Michael Miranda and Kruschev Ferrer, and two Red Lions, Ryusei Koga and Michole Sorela, were similarly booted from the area for illegally entering the playing court. With both teams depleted, big men Ian Sangalang and Dexter Maiquez hit insurance baskets to prevent any last-minute upsets before arriving at the final score.
“I want to apologize for what happened earlier,” said Stags head coach Topex Robinson of the brawl. ” I was supposed to take control of my players. It’s something so highly emotional, not just with the players, but with the whole community. Same goes for San Beda. Of course, we have to respect their side of the coin….I was on the sidelines [but] if I could get inside and try to pacify them, I would. We were branded as squatters, but I told them [my players], this is basketball. There are other things for that [the fight].”
San Beda got out to an early 22-18 first quarter lead but San Sebastian began the second canto with a 12-2 run that helped erect a 30-24 lead with four minutes gone by. Looking to exploit their height advantage, the Stags went time and time again to Sangalang down low, and he delivered 10 points, part of their 27-12 period before the break.
In the third, seven consecutive points by Abueva, including two triples, gave his side a commanding 20-point advantage, 63-43, before Melo Lim countered with five straight to keep the deficit from getting out of hand. Baser Amer and Koga then continued the push in the fourth as they cut the lead all the way down to 11, 73-62 on some hot outside shooting with 6:40 left. To make matters worse for the Stags, Pascual fell awkwardly and hurt his left knee. He had to be stretchered out and later confirmed to inboundpass that he heard a “pop” before crashing to the floor.
With their best three-point shooter out, Anthony del Rio stepped up to bomb away from downtown, nailing two triples, including a banked attempt, to keep the lead in double-digits. A baseline jumper by Jovit dela Cruz and two charities by Maiquez stretched the lead back to 15, 83-68. Dave Marcelo trimmed it down to 13 with a basket before the fight broke out.
Sangalang’s double-double of 20 points on 10-of-19 shooting and 12 rebounds led all scorers. Abueva stuffed the stat sheet with a double-double of his own, 19 points and 10 rebounds, plus five dimes. Pascual added 15 before his injury, while dela Cruz also finished in double-digit scoring with 13. Pascual also informed inboundpass about his MRI at St. Luke’s Hospital and check-up with renowned specialist Dr. George Canlas.
San Beda was led by de la Rosa’s 13 points, though nine came in the first quarter. Lim added 10 markers, all scored in the second half. NCAA Finals MVP Marcelo had just seven points, but was immovable in the paint, grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking seven shots.
The Red Lions could only suit up 10 players from their championship squad due to a variety of circumstances. Mythical Five member and leading scorer Garvo Lanete injured his shoulder during the Southeast Asian Games and is expected to be out for a few more weeks. Jake Pascual was out sick with a stomach ailment, while Anthony and David Semerad are no longer with the team. 2010 MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Sudan Daniel also watched from the sidelines. Though he did not suit up in this game, he said he expected to play later on in the tournament. “We can’t discredit the hearts of the players that were left,” said Robinson of the Red Lions. “They lose the majority of their players, but they still gave us a good fight.”
Normally a squad that likes to get up and down the court, the Red Lions got a measly two transition points in the game, compared to the 10 posted by San Sebastian. They were also killed on the boards, 52-39, and made just six of their 20 triple attempts, compared to the 7-of-15 clip shot by the Stags.
Both teams will be in action again tomorrow, December 6, with the Stags playing the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the Red Lions squaring off against the University of Cebu Webmasters. According to PCCL officials, the ejected players will not be serving any suspensions, which allows them to suit up for their respective games.
The scores:
San Sebastian 87 – Sangalang 20, Abueva 19, Pascual 15, dela Cruz 13, del Rio 8, Maiquez 8, Miranda 4, Balucanag 0, Vitug 0
San Beda 72 – De la Rosa 13, Lim 10, K. Pascual 9, Amer 9, Villahermosa 9, Sorela 8, Marcelo 7, Koga 5, Caram 2, Pontejos 0
Quarter scoring: 18-22, 45-34, 71-54, 87-72
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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