By Ivan Saldajeno
SAN JUAN, MM--San Beda held off a fourth quarter run from Ateneo to take an 86-81 win in the lone juniors offering of opening day of the FilOil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup at the FilOil Flying V Centre on Saturday.
Now sandwiched between the two scheduled seniors matches following a late fixture tweak, the Red Cubs found a 19-point lead after three quarters enough to take the win despite a gallant stand by the Blue Eaglets in the fourth.
San Beda actually tried to pull away early on as they raced to a 30-18 lead in the first period, but Ateneo limited their opponents to only 13 in the second and came to within nine, 43-34, at the half.
The Red Cubs then fired 28 third quarter points to go up by 19, 71-52, entering the fourth.
The Blue Eaglets outscored them, 29-15, in the final canto, but it was not enough to completely overhaul their deficit in the end.
Robi Nayve, the younger brother of CSB player Raph, led San Beda with 17 points, ten rebounds, two assists, and a block.
Just two days after helping Batang Gilas win the SEABA U18 Championship, Evan Nelle suited up for the Cubs and tallied three points in seven minutes.
Dave Ildefonso had 14 points, while SJ Belangel added 13 for Ateneo.
Kai Sotto, who played for the second straight time following a stint for the Blue Eaglets' Prada team which saw action in a PhilHealth-City Hoops Preseason Cup game on Friday, had only four points in his debut for the Eaglets' UAAP squad.
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