Red Cubs Made A Historic 4-Peat

The San Beda Red Cubs clinched their fourth straight NCAA juniors championship with an 83-58 Game Two victory over the San Sebastian Staglets Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Led by finals Most Valuable Player Javee Mocon, who finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds, the Taytay-based Red Cubs became the winningest team in the juniors division with their 20th overall title.

San Beda swept the Staglets in the best-of-three series after a 69-51 win in Game One last Thursday. Mocon had 15 points and 17 rebounds in that game.

“We just took it one game at a time,” said San Beda coach Britt Reroma, who also won a title as a player with the Red Cubs under longtime former coach Ato Badolato. “We made a lot of sacrifices. Minsan lang darating ang ganito sa kanila.”

Reroma cited an early loss as a big motivator for the team.

“Wake-up call sa amin yung loss to Mapua in the elimination round. Kailangan may dahilan bakit natalo against Mapua,” said Reroma, who won his third straight title with the team after taking over for Badolato.

“It’s our first four-peat. Napakasarap dahil we worked hard since day one after winning our third title last year. Even with 12 rookies, hats off ako sa mga players na nagsacrifice. Panibagong history ito for us.”

The Red Cubs, whose sacrifices include traveling to Mendiola to practice when torrential rain damaged their court in Taytay, are now gearing up for another title run next year.

The 6-foot-2 Mocon, a rookie for the Red Cubs, was a walk-in player. He served his residency last year before suiting up this season.

“Overwhelming and masaya,” said Mocon, an Antipolo native, about the victory. “Lahat kami naghirap. Nagpapasalamat ako na kinuha ako ni Coach Britt.”

The Red Cubs dominated the game right after the tipoff with a 7-0 start. San Beda eventually led by as many as 24 points, 74-50, in the last three minutes of the game.

The Staglets missed the services of graduating big man Joco Macasaet, who was out because of chicken pox.

“We didn’t even know Macasaet was not gonna suit up until the tipoff of the game last Thursday,” said Reroma.

Alejandro Inigo, Paolo Brojan and Paolo Macapayag are graduating from the Red Cubs.

MVJ Velasco, Carlos Escalambre, and Joseph Miasco played their last game with the Staglets.

The Scores:

San Beda (83) — Tolentino 13, Caracut 13, Mocon 10, Abatayo 8, Diputado 6, Furaque 6, Abude 5, Tongco 5, Gumtang 5, Abuda 3, Macapayag 3, Inigo 2, Brojan 2, De Villeres 2, Romero 0.

San Sebastian (58) — Costelo 10, Escalambre 10, Loor 8, Gayosa 7, Yong 5, Navarro 5, Miasco 5, Calisaan 4, Magno 2, Santos 2, Velasco 0, Gatdula 0, Malamug 0, Causon 0.

Quarters: 16-12, 32-25, 56-41, 83-58

source: InterAKTV