SBC GUNS FOR 3RD TITLE WITH JRU IN GAME TWO
DEFENDING champion San Beda College guns for third straight title when it battles Jose Rizal University in Game 2 of the best-of-three NCAA Finals today at the Araneta Coluseum.
The Red Lions and the Heavy Bombers clash at 4 p.m., right after the San Sebastian Staglets and the Leran Squires square off at 2 p.m., with the former hoping to score their own title sweep and fourth in a row in the junior's division.
SBC coach Frankie Lim, however, warned that nothing will come easy against a team like JRU, which is seeking to end a 36-year title drought since winning the NCAA title in 1972.
"It's been quiet a long time since their last championship. So, they are very hungry and that's enough motivation for them," said Lim, a member of the Red Lions, who won back-to-back titles in 1977 and 1978.
The Red Lions, one of the original members of the league, leaned on Pong Escobal, Borgie Hermida and Sam Ekwe to pull off a 72-68 win in the series opener last Wednesday to take a 1-0 lead.
For Jose Rizal coach Ariel Vanguardia, he considers the setback as opening day jitters, which his boys failed to overcome following a dismal shooting from the free throw line, making only 18 of 35 attempts.
"I must admit, it's been long time sincce the school played in the championship (2002). The team lacked the experience, which the Red Lions are fully equipped. But I don't want to use it as an excuse. If we want to win then we have to play much better in the next game," said Vanguardia.
What really compounded the woes for Vanguardia was San Beda's 49 rebounds against only 33 for Jose Rizal.
The league's two-time MVP Sam Ekwe regained his confidence and dominated the boards with a total of 16 rebounds. The 6'8 Nigerian also had 13 points.
In the junior's division, the four-peat seeking San Sebastian Staglets will try to wrap-up their title series against the Letran Squires.
Coach Raymund Valenzona said that the two-week rest before the championship affected the Staglets that allowed the Squires to move closer before escaping with a nail-biting 83-81 victory in the first game also last Wednesday
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