San Beda Repeated The Three-peat

San Beda won a record-breaking 17th NCAA basketball crown yesterday in grand fashion by routing Letran, 67-39, in front of more than 18,000 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

A vicious third quarter run by the Red Lions was enough to flatten the out-of-sync Knights to earn their place as the winningest team in the 88-year history of the country’s oldest collegiate league.

Veteran point guard Anjo Caram delighted a sea of red and white supporters that included business patron Manny V. Pangilinan by firing 17 points while young backcourt partner Baser Amer tallied 14 points on his way to winning the Finals Most Valuable Player award.

Graduating forward Jake Pascual went out in style with 10 points to fill the void left by Nigerian center Ola Adeogun who picked up his third foul as early as the second period.

Ironically, the Mendiola-based cagers took the sole possession of the most number of diadems in the league at the expense of their victims, who forced the rubber match with a 64-55 victory in Game 2 last weekend.

There was plenty of drama days leading up to the title-clinching game with Louie Alas issuing a public apology for his slit-throat gesture at the league’s technical committee official Romy Guevarra, who tried to confront the Letran coach at the end of the Game 2.

But Game 3 proved to be an anti-climactic end to San Beda’s quest to win its sixth title in seven years. It is also the most lopsided finals game since the Red Lions crushed San Sebastian, 89-64, two years ago.

Ronnie Magsanoc, the cage legend who was hired by San Beda in lieu of Frankie Lim in February, became the fifth rookie coach since 1998 to win the title, joining his predecessor, Ato Agustin (San Sebastian, 2009), Binky Favis (Letran, 1999) and Alas (Letran, 1998).

“Nothing was easy,” said Magsanoc. “Letran made it tough but in the end, we played without fear.” San Beda went 15-3 during the elimination round, dispatched Perpetual in a tough Final Four encounter before edging the determined Knights in a finals that went the distance.

It was a disappointing finish to what has been a fairy tale run for Letran.

The Knights were 4-5 at the end of the first round but a torrid performance by Kevin Alas and the inspiring performance of Raymund Almazan, who made his timely return following a mysterious absence, catapulted them to the finals.

But in Game 3, Letran was held to eight points in a third quarter that saw Mark Cruz trimming the margin to 34-23 on a basket and an assist to Jam Cortes with over eight minutes left.

The Scores:

SAN BEDA 67 -­ Caram 17, Amer 14, J. Pascual 10, Adeogun 6, Dela Rosa 5, Koga 4, K. Pascual 4, Mendoza 2, Abarcar 2, Ludovice 2, Dela Cruz 1, Bonsubre 0, Lim 0, Villaruz 0, Moralde 0

LETRAN 39 ­- Cruz 12, K. Alas 11, Cortes 6, Almazan 3, J. Alas 2, Almario 2, Belorio 0, Lituania 0, Gabawan 0, Luib 0, Cudal 0

Quarters: 18-10, 34-17, 45-25, 67-39