Will The Red Lions Go For The Kill?

We witnessed a heart-pounding Game 1 of the NCAA Finals between defending two-time defending champions San Beda Red Lions and the streaking Letran Knights last Thursday. The Lions escaped with a 62-60 squeaker over the Knights with a stellar defensive job in the last play on Letran ace Kevin Alas.

Game 2 is set today at 530 p.m. at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, where a fierce battle is expected between the two archrivals. From what we saw in Game 1, today's tussle should be just as hard-fought and dramatic, with the outcome decided in the final few seconds.

But being down 0-1 is nothing new for coach Louie Alas. In 2005, the Knights also lost Game 1 of the Finals to the Philippine Christian University Dolphins. But they came back strong and upended the Jason Castro-led Dolphins in Games 2 and 3 to notch their 16th NCAA crown.

Now the Knights are back in the same situation and have a chance to repeat history with a win today.

With their backs against the wall, the Knights are more dangerous than ever and are determined to keep their fairy tale season alive. Before gaining the right to face San Beda for the title, Letran has had a tumultuous ride this season, finishing the first round with a forgettable 4-5 card. But in the second round, the Knights got their act together, getting a huge lift with the return of 6'8" center Raymond Almazan, who had momentarily left the team for health reasons. The Muralla-based squad collected a total of eight wins in the second round, bowing only to the Red Lions, 62-68, on September 1. continue reading here

source: Coach Jude Roque