REDEMPTION WAS ON full display as the San Beda Red Lions denied the De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (CSB) Blazers’ bid to return to the grandest stage of collegiate basketball—the same team that spoiled San Beda’s title-defense campaign in the Season 100 quarterfinals—to reignite a Finals showdown with longtime archrival Letran after six years.
The Red Lions emerged victorious over the Benilde Blazers after three games of relentless action, booking a return ticket to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball finals in Season 101 against the Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) Knights.
Game 1
Imposing their will early, the Red Lions drew first blood against Benilde, seizing a series advantage with a 91-72 win, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last December 2.
Bryan Sajonia opened the game with a commanding head start, 4-0, yet the Blazers were able to briefly take control as both teams struggled from the line.
After the Mendiola-based squad called for a timeout, Benilde expanded its lead, 4-8, but the Lions swiftly regained momentum, as the rest of the first quarter was met with close exchanges from the rivals, topping off, 22-19.
Jomel Puno opened the second quarter with a shot inside the paint to bring the lead of the Lions to 24-19. Miller further accentuated the lead of the Lions, 26-19, through clean free throw shots. The Lions pushed the momentum to 30-19 as the Blazers had called for a timeout.
The Lions had maintained their posture for the rest of the second quarter, with the Blazers only barely inching closer to the wide gap, 48-35. Continuing their onslaught, the Red Lions kept the pressure on the vengeful Blazers, who opened the third quarter with renewed energy in an attempt to narrow the gap.
As Benilde attempted a third-quarter resurgence, the Lions tightened their defense, with Miller and Sajonia anchoring the counterattacks, keeping the lead safe at 65-53
With momentum fully on their side, the Red Lions pushed forward to put the final nail in the Blazers’ coffin. As Benilde began to lose steam, San Beda’s sustained offensive firepower took over, allowing the Red Lions to close out the game with a decisive victory, 91-72.
Head coach Yuri Escueta reflected on the Red Lions’ performance, particularly their improvement in rebounds. “Sabi ko sa kanila, we have to be able to get rebounds; we were outrebounded in the first quarter.
Ang dami naming binigay na offensive rebounds, ’pag kalaban mo talaga ang CSB, ang laki kasi,” he said. “’ I think we were able to do ’yung rebounding job much better sa second half, that’s why we have more opportunities to score.”
(by Paolo Vital and Paris Isaac Falcone)
Game 2
With their backs against the wall, the Blazers forced a do-or-die matchup after stunning the Mendiola squad, 75-77, in game two of the series at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena last December 5.
Tied at 75-all in crunch time, a contested floater from Ian Torres allowed the Blazers to stay alive in their bid for another finals berth.
Despite falling into a rut early, San Beda quickly regained their rhythm behind relentless drives from Gonzales and Puno to end the first at 24-23.
The two teams continued to trade baskets, but San Beda’s nine-point cushion by the second would eventually fizzle out as Benilde mounted a composed late-game surge.
Even as the tide began to turn, San Beda still appeared in control, briefly reclaiming command when Bryan Sajonia sparked a three-point edge with 3:36 to go, 71-68.
However, Benilde answered with key stops and clutch hits in the final minutes, flipping the outcome and forcing a winner-take-all showdown.
The absence of Miller due to injury prompted Gonzales and Sajonia to step up, carrying the scoring load with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Game 3
Still reeling from Ian Torres’ buzzer-beater that forced a decider, the Red Lions clawed their way back from an early double-digit deficit in game three to defeat Benilde in their do-or-die semifinal on December 7 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Blazers opened with intensity, pushing the tempo to build an early advantage, but San Beda steadily closed the gap. The Lions’ resurgence was sparked by the relentless scoring of Yukien Andrada, who torched the Blazers with inside finishes and timely perimeter hits, along with the explosive shot-making of Bryan Sajonia, whose clutch baskets kept San Beda within striking distance.
Andrada erupted for 27 points and sparked the crucial second-half comeback, attacking gaps with confidence and drilling big shots whenever CSB threatened to pull away. His mindset was simple: do not go home.
“If I get a slight opening, I’m taking that shot… I don’t want to go home yet,” said Andrada. “It’s not going to be my last game for San Beda and I’m not going to let that happen today.”
Agjanti Miller, still recovering from a knee contusion, added 26 gutsy points; including a momentum-shifting barrage in the first quarter and back-to-back triples that ignited the Den.
Old foes, new stakes
With the semifinals barely settled, the Red Lions and Letran Knights, two of the most decorated collegiate basketball programs in the country, brace for another rivalry showdown in the finals.
The last time these two met at the championship arena, Letran emerged victorious. In Season 95, after an intense three-game matchup, the Knights successfully brought the crown to Muralla, edging the Red Lions in an 81-79 bittersweet victory. This secured their 18th NCAA championship, as the title was in Mendiola’s possession for 3 years prior.
Six years later, San Beda and Letran return to familiar territory as perennial contenders, though with new rosters and renewed narratives—a matchup that third-year head coach Yuri Escueta approaches with caution.
“It’s going to be tough. It’s going to be a physical game. We have to be mentally strong,” he said in an interview.
Meanwhile, graduating captain Andrada acknowledged the Knight’s firepower and six-game winning momentum, expecting nothing less than a slugfight in his first San Beda-Letran rivalry finals.
“It’s going to be tough, but we have to be prepared. Two days preparation, and then finals game again. And especially Letran, a rivalry game… So it’s going to be a dogfight for sure. And they’re a really strong team, so we got to really prepare for that,” he said.
For Miller, the finals stage is exactly the kind of moment he envisioned the first time he heard about the San Beda-Letran rivalry.
“It’s exciting to be a part of a rivalry… especially in a championship,” he added.
The Red Lions have scratched and clawed their way back, and now, the hunt continues. Game 1 tips off at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, December 10, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
(by Manssel Latonero and Maria Jamille Perolina)