Red Lions begin quest for a rare four-peat
Only one school has won a four-peat in the history of the 89-year old NCAA and that’s San Sebastian College. The Golden Stags actually followed up that feat the next year with another championship to complete a record five straight titles. San Beda, after snapping a 28-year old NCAA title drought in 2006 and winning again in 2007 and 2008, had the chance to duplicate the feat in 2009. But San Sebastian would not allow the Red Lions to repeat what it had achieved. So they brought in the awesome “Pinatubo” trio of Calvin Abueva, Ian Sangalang and Ronald Pascual that year to rain on San Beda’s parade. The Stags clinched the 2009 diadem via a 2-0 sweep of the finals at the expense of the Lions. Had it not been for that conquest by Baste that year, the Lions would have been gunning for an amazing eighth consecutive NCAA crown this season.
With one of the best recruitment programs in college basketball, the Red Lions amassed three straight NCAA plums again from 2010 to 2012, for a total of six titles in the last seven years, and under different mentors - Koy Banal, Frankie Lim and Ronnie Magsanoc.
Last year wasn’t easy though. They started the 88th season with only six players after suspensions were slapped on nine Lions for their involvement in a brawl. But the now heralded “super six” bucked the odds and upended the Arellano Chiefs to get San Beda to a good start. But the Lions lost twice to San Sebastian in the elims, and convincingly at that, casting some doubts on their ability to defend the crown. They also lost to the Perpetual Help Altas in overtime in the first round, 87-88.
By a stroke of luck however, the twice-to-beat Stags lost to the Knights twice in the semis, setting the stage for a San Beda-Letran finale. The Lions narrowly escaped the Knights in Game 1, 62-60, then were shut down in the payoff period of Game 2 and eventually lost, 55-64. The odds quickly shifted to Letran’s favor, as many believed the Knights were peaking at the right time, and also enjoyed the momentum. But the Lions showed up in Game 3 with their best game of the season to erase all doubts with an emphatic 67-39 shellacking of Letran.
Now, the 17-time NCAA champs have another crack at that rare four-peat. And it looks like they’re not going to be denied this time.
Now under another new head coach – Boyet Fernandez – the Red Lions are more focused on keeping the NCAA trophy in Mendiola this time than last year. At least, they will be starting the season with a complete roster. Eleven of the 2012 champions are returning to defend the crown, including last year’s one-two punch of Olaide Adeogun and Baser Amer. Gone are Jake Pascual, Anjo Caram and Melo Lim – all regular starters last season, and “super six” member Dave Moralde, who transferred to UP.
In their place are the come-backing Semerad twins, David and Anthony, and former Red Cubs Dan Sara and Van Abatayo. The ever-reliable Rome Dela Rosa will wear the red and white colors of San Beda for the fifth and last year, and is expected to play the leader’s role. Also seeing action again for San Beda are Kyle Pascual, Ryusei Koga, Yvan Ludovice, Richie Villaruz, Jaypee Mendoza, Antonio Bonsubre, Francis Abarcar and Arthur Dela Cruz.
As always, the Red Lions will have the deepest bench in the NCAA.
“I feel confident about our chances this season with the way the players are working hard everyday. It gives me a positive outlook this 89th season. I am both happy and proud to be given the chance to coach San Beda. It’s an opportunity that coaches dream of,” said Fernandez, who was in Magsanoc’s coaching staff last year.
Fernandez is a multi-titled coach, winning a championship in the PBA as head coach of Sta. Lucia Realty in 2008, and three PBA-DLeague crowns for the NLEX Road Warriors. He was picked by San Beda top patron Manny V. Pangilinan to replace Magsanoc, who resigned in December last year to focus on his chores as first assistant coach with the Meralco Bolts in the PBA.
Adeogun, the 6’9” sophomore from Nigeria who was meted the heaviest sanction of a four-game suspension last year for the infamous brawl, is back with a vengeance. In the Fil Oil Cup, he posted norms of 11.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks for San Beda. These numbers are expected to be surpassed in the NCAA. Amer, last year’s finals MVP, led the Lions in scoring in the pre-season tournament, with 12.3 points per game on a 43% shooting clip. He also averaged 5.3 boards and 4.6 assists. Dela Rosa, the team captain, has also shone during the summer league, collecting 11.9 markers per outing. Dela Cruz, the former Ateneo Blue Eagle, seems to be filling the shoes vacated by Pascual well. He averaged 10 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in the Fil Oil Cup. The outside artillery will most likely come from third-year shooting guard Koga, three-point specialist Anthony Semerad, and sophomore sensation Abarcar, who had a couple of 22-point games in the Fil Oil. Starting center Pascual is also steady with his short-range jumpers.
On paper, the Red Lions look really formidable and imposing, especially that the other teams lost several key players, like San Sebastian’s Abueva, Sangalang and Pascual, Letran’s Kevin Alas and Jam Cortez, Perpetual’s Jet Vidal, Mapua’s Josan Nimes and JRU’s Nate Matute.
But San Beda’s biggest threat is itself. In the Fil Oil Cup, the Lions struggled against the College of St. Benilde and UPHSD before escaping with the W. In the semis of the same tournament, they were totally outplayed by the National University Bulldogs and lost terribly, 57-74.
In games that they are totally focused, the Lions are killers. They staged an incredible 13-0 run with less than four minutes left in play and behind by ten points to oust the La Salle Green Archers in the Fil Oil quarterfinals, 66-63. Then, in the battle for third, San Beda walloped UAAP runner-up University of Sto. Tomas, 74-70.
In a recent tune-up game held in San Beda, the Red Lions were unfazed by the visiting Global Port PBA team, and controlled most of the game until Willie Miller beat the final buzzer with a follow up jumper to end the game at 60-all.
“With the support of Boss MVP, the Benedictine monks and the entire Bedan community, I will do my best to continue the winning tradition of the school and to keep the crown in Mendiola,” added Fernandez, who will be the fourth SBC coach in seven years.
If the Lions approach each game with the right mindset, it would be a tall order to score an upset over them. But they cannot take any team lightly this season, especially Letran, Arellano, Perpetual Help, and CSB.
Will the Lions finally get rid of the ghost of 2009 and be only the second team in NCAA history to score a four-peat?
Their quest begins today when San Beda battles host College of St. Benilde in the 4 p.m. opener at the Mall of Asia Arena.
