Dream NCAA Finals: San Beda versus Letran
Letran continued its mastery over San Sebastian this season, beating the No. 2 squad twice in the semifinals to arrange a luscious showdown for the NCAA crown with the three-peat seeking San Beda. The Knights ousted the Golden Stags, 73-70, in a pulsating do-or-die encounter yesterday at the San Juan Arena.
And so the stage is set for two of the richest basketball programs in the NCAA — San Beda and Letran. Both schools are tied with a league-leading 16 men's basketball titles in the country's oldest cage league. The eventual winner will get its 17th diadem and break the tie that was set last year when the Red Lions defeated the Stags for the title.
The Knights' last championship was in 2005. The very next year, San Beda began a three-year dynasty in the NCAA that was momentarily halted by San Sebastian in 2009. In 2010, SBC retook the crown and successfully defended it last year. Now the Lions gun for a grand slam, the same feat they achieved from 2006 to 2008.
In 2007, the Knights challenged the Red Lions for the title but lost 0-2 in the best-of-three series. SBC then had a powerhouse crew that included 2006 rookie-MVP Samuel Ekwe of Nigeria, Pong Escobal, Yousif Aljamal, Bam Gamalinda and Ogie Menor. Letran had the dynamic duo of Rey Guevarra and RJ Jazul.
Letran and San Beda measured swords for the NCAA championship only twice in history. The first was way back in October 28, 1950, which featured all-time greats Carlos "Caloy" Loyzaga and Lauro Mumar. Letran was bannered by a powerful cast dubbed "Murder Inc," which was led by Mumar. The Knights were on the verge of sweeping the tournament until Loyzaga and company scored an upset win for San Beda to forge a title showdown with Letran. But the Knights still took the diadem that year.
This year, both rosters are pretty even, which makes the finals very exciting. From the Lions' two-year reign in 2010 and 2011, they lost top shooter Garvo Lanete, Dave Marcelo, Anthony and David Semerad, Mar Villahermosa and American recruit Sudan Daniel. From last year's line-up, Letran retained all of its key personnel.
In their head-to-head battles this year, San Beda enjoys a 2-0 edge over Letran. The Lions devoured the Knights in the first round with a lopsided 65-43 win. They weathered a late Letran surge to repeat with a 68-62 victory.
But the Muralla-based squad is peaking at the right time, posting eight straight wins since that second-round loss to SBC. In contrast, the Lions were made minced meat by the Stags, 55-69, last week and narrowly escaped the Perpetual Help Altas last Saturday, 56-52.
Let's now review the numbers.
The tables have turned this year as the Knights now emerged as the better offensive team than the one that lorded it over everybody else in scoring in the last six years. Letran averages 72 points per game as opposed to San Beda's 70.2. In the first semis match against the Stags, the Knights finished with 92 points. But surprisingly, SBC has the best field goal percentage of all teams, with a remarkable 42.2%. Letran's shooting clip is 34.8%.
In the long-range shooting department, the Knights have the clear upper hand. They rank third in most three-point shots made per game, with 5.1 triples. The Lions have the least three-balls per game in the league with only 3.6 per outing. But in terms of accuracy, both schools shoot just a little over 26% from beyond the arc.
In the latest Top 20 scorers' list this season, prolific Letran guard Kevin Alas overtook Calvin Abueva at No. 1, with 21.2 markers per game after a career-high 43-point output last Saturday. Jam Cortes is ranked 16th with 11.4 points per game, while Kevin Racal is at No. 20, with 10.7 markers per game. Only one Red Lion landed in the Top 20, Nigerian Olaide Adeogun, who's tied with Racal at the 20th spot.
But defensively, the Lions are best this season, limiting opponents to just 58.5 points per outing. Letran is third-best in defense, with 58.3 points allowed to opponents.
The battle of the boards should be interesting as well with almost identical rebounding output per game for both squads (SBC, 44.8 — CSJL, 44.2), even as the Knights have about two more offensive caroms per game than the Lions.
San Beda is the league's second best team in assists with 17.5 per game. Letran has 15.3. The Knights' suffocating defense accounts for 6.1 steals per game, while the Lions could only manage 4.8.
With Raymond Almazan playing inspired in the second round, the Knights led the league in most shot blocks with almost five per game. The 6'8" Almazan is the NCAA's best shot blocker with almost two swats per game. SBC has 3.5 per outing.
The Knights also commit two more turnovers and six more fouls per game than the Lions.
Curiously, the Knights and Red Lions were the best teams in the second round with identical 8-1 records. Letran's lone defeat came at the hands of San Beda, while the Lions' only loss was against San Sebastian. The Knights swept the Stags in four games this year. In contrast, the Lions fell prey to the Stags twice in as many games this season.
After struggling with a 4-5 win-loss slate in the first round, the Knights came out strong in the second and managed to barge into the finals despite a twice-to-beat handicap in the semis. The momentum is surely on the side of Letran.
Long-time Letran mentor Louie Alas holds three NCAA titles for the Knights, capturing his first during his NCAA debut in 1998, his second in 2003 and third in 2005. He is certainly no stranger to the pressures of the title series. On the other hand, SBC's Ronnie Magsanoc gets to feel the championship fever on his very first year as head coach. He has been a long-time deputy tactician in the pros. Interestingly, a rookie coach Frankie Lim got the first of his four NCAA titles in 2007, also against Alas and the Knights.
The Knights have not defeated the Red Lions in two tries this season. But the Lions cannot take the Knights lightly in the best-of-three joust for this year's plum. Letran is now the league's most dangerous team, amassing convincing victories in its last eight games. In the finals, all the records don't matter much. It's the fighting heart that will determine which team will get a 17th NCAA men's basketball title.
We can expect fireworks when the Lions and Knights meet in the NCAA finals for only the third time in its 88-year history.
Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
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