Long Break Benefited Red Lions

The long break between Game Two and Game Three of the NCAA Season 88 Finals proved to be beneficial to eventual champions San Beda Red Lions, according to their coach, Ronnie Magsanoc.

The Red Lions won Game 1 on October 18, 62-60, but the Knights tied the series with a 64-55 victory in Game Two on October 20.

Game Three of the Finals was delayed as the league dealt with issues regarding the venue. It was eventually held at the Araneta Coliseum on October 26, and the Red Lions easily won, 67-39, to clinch their 17th title in the NCAA.

“I think it worked to our advantage,” Magsanoc said of the prolonged break in an interview with DZMM’s “Sports Talk.”

“Naka-recover sila. Pag talo ka, masama ang loob mo,” he added. “Etong recovery time ng mga ito... Kasi mga bata pa, kaya ‘yung resiliency nila medyo manipis pa.”

“Eh ‘yung limang araw, that is 24 hours time five – that is more than enough,” Magsanoc said.

The Red Lions had to make some adjustments in Game Three after getting burned by the Letran swingmen in the second game.

Jonathan Belorio (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Jam Cortes (10 points, 11 rebounds) both finished with double-doubles, ensuring that Kevin Alas (10 points) did not need to shoulder the offensive load by himself.

“’Yung ginawa namin for Game Three was an offshoot of what they were able to do in Game Two against our defense,” Magsanoc explained.

“When we saw the tapes, kaming mga coaches, we realized that we did not need any special defense. We just had to execute how we were trying to implement our defensive schemes really well,” he added.

Magsanoc said that their defensive breakdowns in Game Two showed them what kind of effort they needed to show in order to win the final game.

In the third game, the Red Lions did not give the Knights a chance, allowing only 39 points from Letran and leading by as much as 29 points in the ball game. The Knights shot only 27% from the field.

Letran’s 39 points was the lowest output in an NCAA Finals game since 2005, when the Philippine Christian University (PCU) scored only 54 points. Curiously, it was the Knights who defeated PCU in that game, 62-54.

Magsanoc was quick to credit his players for the historic championships.

“The credit should go to them. Sila ang trumabaho at nakisama... They made it happen,” he said. 

source: ABS-CBN News