Lions hold back Altas, gain NCAA finals slot

MANILA, Philippines - Olaide Adeogun came through with a huge double-double game and himself delivered the crucial plays at the finish as San Beda held off a fierce-fighting Perpetual Help side, 56-52, to book the first berth in the 2012 NCAA basketball tournament finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Adeogun flexed his muscles hardest at endgame, carrying the Lions past the Altas and into a seventh straight finals against either the San Sebastian Stags or the Letran Knights.

“We all know the capability of Ola. He managed very well his fouls in this game, and he played 29 minutes,” said San Beda coach Ronnie Magsanoc.

It was 29 solid minutes where the 6-foot-7 Nigerian asserted himself at the paint, collecting 23 points, 14 rebounds, two blocks and one assist.

He had his most crucial play in drawing Nosa Omorogbe’s fifth and last foul with 2:37 left to play.

With Omorogbe out, the Altas lived and died by the three-point shooting of graduating star Jet Vidal.

Vidal missed three attempts in the last 30 seconds, and the Lions pulled through with the victory that sent them to the finals for a shot at a third straight crown and sixth in the last seven years.

“They were tough. They had nothing to lose and they played loose,” said Magsanoc of the tough challenge put up by the Altas.

“The big difference was that we’re able to make the needed stops and the crucial free throws,” Magsanoc also said.

Baser Amer helped put the finishing touch on their victory with two charities in the closing seconds.

Amer also played 29 minutes off the bench, winding up with 12 rebounds, nine points, six assists, three steals and one block against six turnovers.

San Beda, the elimination-round top notcher, was pressed to the limit by Perpetual with the Lions staring at a nine-point deficit once at 17-26.

The Altas held the lead for the last time at 49-45 on back-to-back straight-away triples by Omorogbe.

Kevin Alas played the game of his life, scattering a career-best 43 points as the Knights ripped the Stags, 92-74, to force a sudden death in their own semis showdown.

Alas went 10-of-13 from the three-point area to highlight his explosive performance, improving his previous career high of 35.

With his searing pace, Alas could have easily matched or surpassed John Wilson’s 48-point outing in 2009 if not rested by his father-coach Louie with over two minutes left to play.

“We don’t care about individual records in our team. We’re after the team goal. The game had become very physical, I opted to rest him for the next game,” said the coach.

The Knights and the Stags figure in a do-or-die match at 5 p.m. tomorrow at The Arena in San Juan. Earlier, San Beda and San Sebastian disposed of Letran and St. Benilde-LSGH, respectively, to set up a best-of-three duel for the juniors crown.

The Red Cubs eliminated the Squires, 61-57, while the Staglets ousted the Greenies, 58-55.