Red Lions, Red Cubs Stay Clean At 8-0

Defending champion San Beda Red Lions stretched its unbeaten run to eight, surviving tough challenge from its opponent in the NCAA Season 87 men’s basketball today at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Red Lions used a big fourth quarter surge to detonate the JRU Heavy Bombers, 77-69.

The Mendiola-based dribblers went to veteran Garvo Lanete to bail them out in the fourth period when the Bombers threatened to steal the game away.

After Nate Matute and John Vilarias gave JRU a 62-60 lead, Lanete starred in a 10-3 San Beda run. Lanete’s fifth triple gave the Lions a five-point breather with 4:15 left in the game.

San Beda’s Amer Baser and Anjo Caram’s charity splits padded the lead to seven, 74-67, with 1:43 left as JRU settled for outside shots, which never found their mark. The Bombers succumbed to their third straight loss to drop top 2-6 in the standings.

Lanete finished with 23 points built on 5-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc and issued five assists to pace the Lions, who will meet the Stags in a much-awaited showdown on Aug. 19.

In the juniors’ division, Van Abatayo had 13 points for the Red Cubs, who walloped the Jose Rizal Light Bombers, 92-38, and keep the solo lead.