With a five‑point lead and less than 60 ticks on the clock, the San Beda Red Lions looked like they had their way against the Mapua Cardinals—until they didn’t.
Cardinal guard Jamal Diaz made the most of the Mendiola‑based squad’s free‑throw woes down the stretch, knocking down back‑to‑back threes from the left wing to cement the unlikely comeback against the reigning champions.
Red Lions head coach Yuri Escueta lauded the rookie’s late‑game heroics but underscored San Beda’s need to convert their freebies in crucial situations.
“We have to give it to Jamal, he made two tough, long threes. So hats off to him… It’s just that on our side, ‘yung free throws namin,” Escueta said postgame. “If we could’ve made one or two free throws… the game could’ve been over.”
Escueta Acknowledges San Beda’s Fourth‑Quarter Collapse
Despite a low‑scoring affair, the Red Lions found themselves up nine entering the final 10 minutes, 39‑30. The Mapua offense continued to click, however, as a three from Ken Dones capped a 9‑2 blitz that ultimately depleted the Red Lions’ momentum.
Escueta ultimately pointed to the scorching hot Cardinals as the main factor in the loss, as well as the prolonged stay of Jimmy Reyes on the bench, who finished the game while nursing a hand injury.
“Na‑injure si Jimmy… Lots of things that can go our way during the fourth quarter… We have to give it to Mapua, they made seven out of eight threes, which they weren’t hitting in the first three quarters,” the champion coach said.
Holding an even 2‑2 card with plenty of the season to go, Escueta underscored the challenging teams in Group B that the Red Lions must focus on in their upcoming crucial stretch.
“Mahirap din ‘yung kabila eh. It is going to be a long season… We have to keep staying positive, one game at a time, whatever happens.”
San Beda will next face the San Sebastian Golden Stags for their first crossover game in the NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament on Friday, October 2, at the same venue.
