San Beda reasserted its mastery over San Sebastian and cruised to a 96-76 victory yesterday to regain the lead with idle Letran in the 83rd NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.
Yousif Aljamal sizzled with 23 points while Pong Escobal and last year’s MVP Sam Ekwe added 17 apiece to power the Red Lions to their seventh victory against a loss.
The Stags reeled to their fourth defeat against three victories but remained in fourth place, one game ahead of Perpetual Help (2-5) and two ahead of Mapua (2-6).
Jose Rizal pounced on Paolo Orbeta’s absence as it routed St. Benilde, 80-65, in the second game.
It was the Bombers’ fifth win against three losses as they kept their hold of the third spot.
Already struggling in their first seven games, the Blazers were further demoralized with the suspension of Orbeta, St. Benilde’s top player who was nabbed Wednesday for alleged point-shaving charges.
“It’s a sad thing but we have to move on,” said St. Benilde coach Caloy Garcia, whose wards bowed out of the Final Four race with their seventh defeat against a lone win. “The good thing about it though is that the other players are starting to step up.”
“I feel so sad for them,” Jose Rizal mentor Ariel Vanguardia, a St. Benilde alumnus, said.