Back-to-wall Dolphins see red, force rubber

Philippine Christian University frustrated San Beda with a sleek run-and-gun game anchored on a tough defensive stance as the Dolphins frolicked in a sea of red-clad crowd to fashion out a 70-52 victory last night and force a winner-take-all match for the NCAA men’s basketball crown at the Araneta Coliseum.

Held to just two points in the first half, Gabby Espinas came alive in the second half and exploded with 20 points, including a 14-point splurge in the third, as he sustained the Dolphins’ big first-half surge that set the tone for the rout and silenced the Red Lions and their throng of fans who filled three-fourths of the Big Dome.

The 2004 rookie MVP, picked fifth overall by San Miguel in this year’s PBA rookie draft, finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and two steals.

"I just told him all the players are stepping up except him and I’m happy he responded," said PCU coach Joel Dualan in Filipino, referring to his 6-foot-4 forward from Olongapo City.

The victory avenged PCU’s 57-71 loss in the opener of their best-of-three series last Monday and foiled San Beda’s bid to end its long title drought spanning 28 years.

The sudden death is set tomorrow starting at 4 p.m., also at the Big Dome.

As Espinas got hobbled by foul trouble and struggled in the early going, Ian Garrido took over and teamed up with Lizstian Amparado while the rest backed them up with a gritty defense that forced the Red Lions to fumble and into a series of turnovers.

Nigerian Samuel Ekwe, whose solid all around game in the elims up to the semis earned him the rookie MVP honors, unleashed a career-best 14 points but San Beda failed to get the usual production from the other Red Lions.

PCU put up a defensive blanket on the high-scoring John Escobal, who sizzled with 19 points in Game 1 but was held to just three points on a woeful one-of-nine clip.

Earlier, San Sebastian completed a two-game sweep with a 65-41 demolition of PCU to clinch its second straight juniors title and third overall.

Julius Nasayao led the Staglets with 18 points but it was Ryan Buenafe who was named the Finals MVP following a superb effort in a come-from-behind triumph in Game 1.