Lions devour Chiefs for third straight win

MANILA, Philippines — The San Beda Red Lions continued to roll in the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament, winning their third straight game after thrashing the Arellano Chiefs, 76-53, Friday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. 

San Beda thus rose to 5-1 in Group B play while Arellano dropped to 3-4. 

Janti Miller growled loudly for the Red Lions, finishing with 20 points and seven rebounds on an efficient 6-of-12 shooting. Jomel Puno chipped in 10 markers and eight boards.

“We knew not to take them lightly,” Miller said after the game.

“We came into practice locked in, came out, executed the game plan and won.”

The Chiefs were well within striking distance through the half, with San Beda holding a 37-31 lead.

But a 13-6 run capped by a jumper by Zedjay Etulle gave the Red Lions a 50-36 lead in the third quarter.

Anjord Cabotaje snapped the run with a triple, but San Beda’s run was too blistering to stop.

The lead grew to as much as 27 points, 74-47, after a trey by Rafael Jalbuena with 2:19 remaining in the game, as the Mendiola-based squad breezed through to the finish line.

Ismael Culdora chipped in nine points for the winning team while Etulle tallied eight.

T-Mc Ongotan paced Arellano with 14 points while Cabotaje added 10.