The San Beda Red Lions held their nerve when it mattered most, escaping the JRU Heavy Bombers, 65-62, in a game that lived up to the delay it took just to happen. The NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament matchup, originally scheduled for September 18, had been postponed after a roof leak left condensation on the court and made the playing surface unsafe. When it finally tipped off Saturday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, neither team seemed to have lost any of the intensity the wait had built up.
The Red Lions bounced back from their season-opening loss to the Benilde Blazers to win their second straight and move to 2-1, while the Bombers absorbed their first loss of the season to fall to the same mark. Fitting, given how evenly the two sides played throughout—40 minutes with a widest margin of just six points, eight deadlocks, and seven lead changes.
San Beda Survives Fight to the Finish
The fourth quarter alone told the story of the whole afternoon. Tied at 57-all, the two teams traded blows without either finding real separation. Jahmir Eligado and Chris Hubilla sparked a 5-0 run that pushed JRU ahead, 62-57, and for a moment it looked like San Beda’s night might end in heartbreak. Instead, the Red Lions locked in defensively, holding JRU scoreless over the final three minutes while answering with a 6-0 run of their own. Hubilla’s and-one conversion briefly slowed the bleeding for JRU, but rookie Andrei Ugaddan buried a three from the left corner to put San Beda ahead for good, 63-62, with 1:23 remaining. Sean Salvador had one last look to force overtime, but his three-point attempt rimmed in and out, sealing San Beda’s win.
“The players really wanted to win today. We know how important this game is for us, especially in this first round. I have to give it to them. They were down five with two minutes, and they never quit,” said San Beda coach Yuri Escueta. “I told them at the start of the ball game that we just have to stick to our identity, and they did, so hats off to them for being able to execute.”
Torculas led all scorers with 29 points and 6 rebounds, while Ugaddan added 11 points and 3 rebounds off the bench. Hubilla paced JRU with 14 points and 3 assists, Eligado followed with 13 points and 7 rebounds, Salvador chipped in 11, and Nygel Mangubat rounded out the effort with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.
San Beda returns to action against Mapua Cardinals on Monday, September 28, at 3 p.m., while JRU faces the Lyceum Pirates on Tuesday, September 29, at 5 p.m.
