SAN SEBASTIAN is expected to play a more physical game, but San Beda sees no need to change its own game plan.
“We will just play hard to win Game Two. If they play physical, so be it,” said Red Lions coach Frankie Lim, who refused to elaborate on what he called “cheap shots” by San Sebastian ace Calvin Abueva.
“It’s just like last year. Hindi na natanggal sa kanila ’yun. But I told the players to see the bigger picture. We’re here to win the championship, not to hurt anyone,” he added.
Game Two of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) seniors basketball finals is set on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum, with the Red Lions looking to clinch their fifth crown in six years.
Tip off is at noon.
San Beda won the opener of the best-of-three championship series, 75-63, on Monday.
Abueva and Red Lions forward Jake Pascual engaged in a lot of physical plays in Game One, while Stags head coach Topex Robinson was ejected late in the game, refusing to leave the court when the game was about to resume.
Jess Villahermosa and Dave Marcelo, in their final year with San Beda, played big in the opener while Pascual was praised by Lim for his brave single coverage against the newly named Most Valuable Player Abueva.
Villahermosa was clutch in the fourth period, hitting 10 of his 15 points in that stage, while Marcelo added 14 points and 11 rebounds in 30 solid minutes.
“Medyo masama ang timpla ni Garvo [Lanete] buti na lang Jess stepped up. Dave is playing very good basketball and he’s trying to help on defense against Abueva,” said Lim.
The 23-year old Abueva still managed to compile a double-double performance with 12 points and 16 rebounds but he and Ronald Pascual had eight turnovers each, more than half of the team’s 30.
San Sebastian actually managed to keep pace with the Lions early in Game One up to the early minutes of the fourth period before the defending champions unleashed a crippling run. The Stags, including Robinson, lost their composure, hastening their fall.
Still, San Sebastian is confident it can tie the series and send it to a deciding Game Three on Friday. But the Stags have to check their turnovers and the key players need to avoid getting into early foul trouble.
“That’s a big concern for us. We will address that in the next game,” said Robinson, who did not like how game officials handled the series opener.
“Iba kasi ang sinasabi nila kaysa sa ginagawa nila but I don’t use that as an excuse. Those are the things beyond our control, so we’ll focus on things that we have control of and the only way to get back is to win Game Two and the championship,” said the rookie San Sebastian mentor.
But Robinson acknowledged the fact that the Red Lions played better in Game One and his team encountered trouble in defense toward the end.
Other players, particularly Lyle Antipuesto, managed to contribute in the series opener and will be expected to chip in anew. He registered 11 points while reserved guard Jovit de la Cruz added seven.
