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| Jacob Cortez exploded to keep the Red Lions' season alive. NCAA |
SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga--Jacob Cortez made sure that San Beda will live to fight another day in the NCAA men's basketball Final 4 after sending its semifinal series against Lyceum to sudden death with an 89-68 blowout on Tuesday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Cortez, the son of De La Salle Green Archers legend Mike Cortez, fired 28 points as he led the Red Lions' breakaway from the Pirates.
San Beda fired 30 points in the second quarter before holding Lyceum to just eight in the final period to seal the rout.
Cortez also had eight assists, four rebounds, and three steals as the third-seeded Red Lions forced a second game against the twice-to-beat second-seeded Pirates on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Yukien Andrada and Nygel Gonzales each added 12 markers.
Enoch Valdez put up 14 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and one block for Lyceum.
The scores:
San Beda 89-Cortez 28, Andrada 12, Gonzales 12, Payosing 9, Puno 7, Visser 6, Tagle 6, Jopia 6, Alfaro 2, Cuntapay 1, Tagala 0, Torres 0
LPU 68-Valdez 14, Guadana 12, Barba 10, Cunanan 9, Umali 8, Villegas 6, Bravo 4, Montano 3, Omandac 2, Penafiel 0, Saure 0, Fuentes 0, Versoza 0
Quarterscores: 22-16; 52-38; 73-60; 89-68
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