Transferee Bryan Sajonia shone brightly with 18 points and Yukien Andrada added 13 as the defending champions, the San Beda University Red Lions, stormed to a 79-63 victory over the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, marking the start of the 100th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball season.
Sajonia, a former Far Eastern University player, built an early 18-point lead for San Beda. He contributed 12 points during the first half alone, helping the Red Lions secure their first win of the season.
The 6’0” guard was efficient from beyond the arc, shooting 3-of-5 from three-point range while adding five rebounds, two assists, and one block. His performance helped San Beda take a 34-29 advantage at halftime.
In the second period, San Beda extended their lead to 20 points as Sajonia drained two of the team’s six three-pointers, propelling them to a commanding 31-11 lead early in the quarter. The Red Lions continued their onslaught with three more triples from Jomel Puno, rookie JC Bonzalida, and RC Calimag, building their largest lead at 75-52 in the final minutes of the game.
Despite the Pirates’ efforts, fourth-year guard Mclaude Guadaña’s career-high 22 points, along with nine rebounds, one assist, and one steal, weren’t enough to close the gap. Teammate John Barba chipped in with 13 points.
Red Lions head coach Yuri Escueta praised Sajonia’s defensive contributions, stating, “We brought him in knowing his biggest strength is defense, and he did his job in guarding their shooters.”
The game was held amid the grand opening ceremony for NCAA Season 100, hosted by Lyceum Philippines University. Notable guests included Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara and prominent league alumni such as LPU’s CJ Perez, a key member of the Gilas Pilipinas squad that clinched gold in the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.
