San Beda withstood a late University of Perpetual System Dalta uprising to fashion out a 78-71 victory and moved closer to a Final Four berth in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at the La Salle Greenhills Gym.
The Altas capped a 8-0 run with a Lean Martel’s undergoal stab to inch closer to 67-74, with 1:47 remaining.
Peter Alfaro then delivered the dagger for the Red Lions, scoring a lay-up off a Yukien Andrada’s assist for a nine-point buffer at the 1:24 mark.
“We are happy we got this win. We have been preparing really hard for Perpetual,” said coach Boyet Fernandez after San Beda improved to 6-0.
James Kwekuteye finished with 18 points and two steals, while Andrada chipped in 15 points and four rebounds for the Lions.
A victory over Mapua on Saturday will give San Beda an outright Final Four berth, and Fernandez is looking forward to one of this season’s most anticipated match-ups.
On a two-game winning streak, the Cardinals sit in third place with a 5-2 record.
“Sa totoo lang, isa sa mga strong teams ko ang Mapua. They have been shooting well in the three-point area. We will see what we can do against Mapua,” said Fernandez.
“For now we will enjoy this win. We will be ready for them, for sure,” he added.
The Altas lost for the fifth time in seven games in eighth spot.
Teams ranked from third to sixth after the single-round eliminations will make it to the play-in round to determine the two other semifinalists.
Kim Aurin had 16 points in a reserve role while Jielo Razon added 15 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals for Perpetual, which trailed by as much as 17 points in the second half.