San Beda boots Perps out of the Final Four race

By Kevin Estrada

SAN JUAN CITY --Defending NCAA champions san beda maintained their tight grip at second in the ongoing NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Filoil-Flying V Centre earlier in the afternoon, knocking Perpetual Help out of the postseason race with a gritty 55-50 win.

The Red Lions were made to work by the sticky defense dealt to them by the Altas, who forced them to play isolation offense for most of the game to limit them to just eleven dimes.

However San Beda had the last laugh in the final minute, with two blocks by Franz Abuda and Robert Bolick ended Perps' drive for a back-to-back postseason appearances.

Bolick top-scored the now 14-1 Red Lionswith 15 markers, with Donald Tankoua backing him up with 14.

With the loss, it also ended the hopes of Altas center Prince Eze to make it into the mythical team, apart from being two points shy of a double-double after grabbing 11 boards as Perps fell to 4-10.

Despite the win, San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez was not amused on their game today.

"This is not San Beda basketball. Credit to Perpetual Help for their defense," Fernandez said.

The Scores:

San Beda 55 - Bolick 15, Tankoua 14, Soberano 9, Mocon 8, Cabanag 6, Noah 3

Perpetual 50 - Coronel 9, Dagangon 9, Pido 9, Eze 8, Ylagan 7, Sadiwa 3, Lucente 2, Yuhico 2, Mangalino 1

Quarters: 11-11, 27-19, 43-34, 55-50

Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada