Defending champions San Beda Red Lions bounced back in emphatic fashion from their loss earlier this week, dismantling the San Sebastian Golden Stags, 85‑55, on Friday at the FilOil Centre in San Juan City in the NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The Golden Stags kept things competitive in the first half, staying within striking distance despite San Beda’s attempts to pull away. The Red Lions held a slim 23‑21 lead after the opening quarter and carried a 41‑36 advantage into halftime.
Red Lions Pull Away in Third Quarter
The defending champs shifted gears after the break. Sean Aldous Torculas spearheaded the surge, while John Bonzalida, Dan Marcelo, and Jomel Puno connected from the perimeter to extend the lead. The Red Lions outscored San Sebastian, 21‑12, in the third quarter to build a 62‑48 cushion heading into the final frame.
From there, San Beda’s defense completely shut down the Stags, limiting them to just seven points in the fourth quarter. The Red Lions turned a 14‑point lead into a commanding 30‑point victory.
San Beda Finishes Strong
The Red Lions capped their dominant second half with a 19‑4 run bridging the third and fourth quarters, putting the game out of reach.
Torculas finished with a game‑high 18 points on 4‑for‑6 shooting, including three triples, while adding 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Jimuel Reyes contributed 9 points, while Bonzalida, Marcelo, and Puno chipped in 8 apiece. Bismarck Lina added seven points as San Beda showcased balanced scoring across its rotation.
San Beda also controlled the boards, 47‑34, and earned 51 free‑throw attempts to further assert dominance.
Caesleyh Bacani paced San Sebastian with 15 points, while Nurben Muktimar added 11 in the Stags’ fifth consecutive defeat.
With the win, San Beda improved to 3‑2 after a heartbreaking 55‑54 loss to the Mapua Cardinals earlier in the week. San Sebastian, meanwhile, remained winless at 0‑5.
