Red Lions win ugly game over tough JRU

Red Lions win ugly game over tough JRU

by rick olivares

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Filoil Flying V San Juan Arena

The San Beda Red Lions needed two three-point shots by Ryusei Koga and Rome de la Rosa to give San Beda College enough breathing room to dispatch a hard-fighting Jose Rizal University squad.

The three-time NCAA champions managed that lead en route to a 67-55 win, their first of the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup.

A young Heavy Bombers team led by point guard Paolo Pontejos took an early 23-16 lead early in the second quarter. When JRU head coach Vergel Meneses pulled out his quarterback, San Beda made its comeback behind center Ola Adeogun.

Adeogun scored 10 points while reserve guard Francis Abarcar chipped in five of his own as the Red Lions took a 31-25 lead into the half.

But Pontejos, who played one game for San Beda in last year’s Filoil tournament before transferring to JRU, led a furious third period comeback from 11 points down, 39-28. Pontejos hit a free throw off a foul by opposite number Ivan Ludovice to level the match at 43-all.

Ludovice replied with a buzzer-beating put back to give San Beda a 45-43 lead after three quarters.

The Red Lions opened the fourth period with a 10-2 blast behind Koga’s and de la Rosa’s three balls.

“It was an ugly game. The fact is we gave up so many turnovers points (15 points) the boys stepped up their game even if we played bad. At least we got our first win as a team,” said first year Red Lions head coach Boyet Fernandez.

San Beda played without starting point guard Baser Amer who will be out for 10 days with a minor injury.

The graduating De La Rosa top scored for the Red Lions with 16 points. Adeogun compiled 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Pontejos scored a game high 18 points while JRU teammates Marco Balagtas and Philip Mabulac each scored 12 points.