Can Knights repeat 2005 feat or will Lions go for the kill?
We witnessed a heart-pounding Game 1 of the NCAA Finals between defending two-time defending champions San Beda Red Lions and the streaking Letran Knights last Thursday. The Lions escaped with a 62-60 squeaker over the Knights with a stellar defensive job in the last play on Letran ace Kevin Alas.
Game 2 is set today at 530 p.m. at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, where a fierce battle is expected between the two archrivals. From what we saw in Game 1, today's tussle should be just as hard-fought and dramatic, with the outcome decided in the final few seconds.
But being down 0-1 is nothing new for coach Louie Alas. In 2005, the Knights also lost Game 1 of the Finals to the Philippine Christian University Dolphins. But they came back strong and upended the Jason Castro-led Dolphins in Games 2 and 3 to notch their 16th NCAA crown.
Now the Knights are back in the same situation and have a chance to repeat history with a win today.
With their backs against the wall, the Knights are more dangerous than ever and are determined to keep their fairy tale season alive. Before gaining the right to face San Beda for the title, Letran has had a tumultuous ride this season, finishing the first round with a forgettable 4-5 card. But in the second round, the Knights got their act together, getting a huge lift with the return of 6'8" center Raymond Almazan, who had momentarily left the team for health reasons. The Muralla-based squad collected a total of eight wins in the second round, bowing only to the Red Lions, 62-68, on September 1.
But after that defeat, the Knights went on to win eight straight games, including three against erstwhile No. 2 team San Sebastian. It's amazing how from eight place, the 16-time champions managed to barge into the finals, getting past the twice-to-beat Stags in the semis.
It seems however that the Knights are at a loss against the Lions. San Beda's defense has stymied Letran in each of their three encounters this year. The sensational eight-game winning streak of the Knights was achieved through a fluid run-and gun style of play. This season, Letran stepped up its offense tremendously from the previous years. Its offense allows the Knights freedom to attack, which they obviously enjoy. Against most teams in the NCAA, Letran's up-tempo game proved to be highly effective. But San Beda is not like most teams. It is a vaunted defensive unit that thrives on a well-prepared game plan.
Before Game 1, the Knights averaged 72 points per game. But the Lions dictated the pace and turned the joust into a deliberate and highly defensive contest. In a low-scoring game, the Lions have the edge. They are the league's best defensive team, limiting opponents to just 58.3 points per outing.
Kevin Alas still led the Knights in offense but he was three markers short of his usual output. But Jam Cortes, who ranks 16th in the league in scoring with 11.4 points per game, could only chip in two points and as many rebounds. Almazan stood his ground against Nigerian behemoth Olaide Adeogun, and even outrebounded the African import, 13-12.
Letran actually played splendidly, winning in several departments in the game. The Knights topped the Lions in rebounding (49-42), assists 13-11, steals (6-5), second-chance points (13-6), fast-break points (9-7), and even had fewer turnovers (15-17).
The game was so close that it saw six deadlocks and seven lead changes.
It took a surprise performance from San Beda sophomore Ryusei Koga to get the Lions back in the driver's seat late in the third quarter. Koga sizzled with six straight points in a remarkable run that gave the Lions 23 points in the third canto, as opposed to 16 for the Knights. Koga also hit a dagger trey in crunch time to build a five-point edge for SBC.
Letran was slapped with two technical fouls late in the game for continuous complaining, one each for Kevin Racal and coach Alas, from which the Lions earned four points from four trips to the line, courtesy of Amer. This enabled the Lions to get the upper hand and enter the twilight zone with a five-point lead. Spitfire Mark Cruz buried a triple from the corner to slice the deficit to two. Adeogun had an opportunity to get the Lions out of the woods but muffed two charities. With Letran having possession in the final 20 ticks, the Knights had the golden chance to send the game into OT or seal it with a three-ball. But Kevin Alas was caught in a San Beda trap that enabled Amer to snatch the leather, time down to just 0.8 second. As in the last two finales, San Beda took Game 1 again.
Nonetheless, it was a game that kept the audience on their feet and holding their breath. Game 2 should be no different as the Knights try to hang on for dear life, and the Lions attempt to complete a second three-peat in seven years.
Incidentally, this year's winner will bring home a record 17th NCAA men's basketball plum.
Letran has beaten all teams except for one - San Beda. SBC is 3-0 versus the Knights this season, including Game 1 of the finals. The Lions can smell blood and are eager to finish off the Knights in today's encounter.
Meanwhile, the San Beda Red Cubs are in the hunt for a fourth consecutive title, following an emphatic 69-51 rout of the San Sebastian Staglets in Game 1 of their own best-of-three series. With another victory in Game 2, the Cubs likewise claim a record 2oth NCAA Juniors crown. This juniors action is set at 3:15 p.m.
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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