Red Lions finish off generals: Stags take ot to halt Altas

Games Thursday

4 p.m. – Jose Rizal vs St. Benilde

6 p.m. – Arellano U vs Mapua

MANILA, Philippines - San Sebastian survived Perpetual Help in a wild finish as it eked out a 78-77 overtime victory in a protest-marred game last night even as San Beda trounced Emilio Aguinaldo College, 80-65, in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.

The Stags blew a double-digit lead in the third quarter and squandered a couple of chances to wrap it all up in regulation but hung tough in extra period to frustrate the Altas and improve their card at 2-2.

Perpetual dropped to 2-1 in a tie with Lyceum.

The Altas, however, put the game under protest with coach Aric del Rosario questioning the referees’ failure to award two free throws after SSC’s Paulino Rebollos kicked Perpetual’s Juneric Baloria in the groin at the end of the second period.

Earlier, San Beda overcame a first half struggle with a big offensive run in the fourth as it fashioned out a 15-point victory over EAC and seized solo second at 3-1 behind Letran’s 3-0 slate.

The Red Lions went on an attack mode at resumption after trailing the Generals in the first two quarters, outscoring their rivals, 46-26, to post their second straight victory and third overall in four outings.

Arthur dela Cruz fired 18 points, Baser Amer added 14 markers and dished out a game-high nine assists with no turnovers while Nigerian Ola Adeogun dominated the boards with 13 rebounds to go with his six points.

“Our game plan going into the second half is to attack and attack. And the boys did it,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez, who also credited his wards’ defense in the second half.

“We really messed up on our pick-and-roll defense in the first half so we made adjustments and slowed down their attack,” he said.

San Beda and EAC fought in a bruising, physical battle in the first half marked by eight lead changes and the same number of deadlocks. After two quarters, the Generals were in control, 39-34.