The DLSU Green Archers prevailed against the five-peat NCAA champion SBC Red Lions in the National Collegiate Championship Elite Eight round, 61-56, last November 21 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Jeron Teng led La Salle with 20 points on 50 percent field goal shooting while he also had nine rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Thomas Torres chipped in with nine points, eight rebounds, and five assists while Ben Mbala finished with nine points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks.
Baser Amer led San Beda with 14 points, six rebounds, and two assists while Ola Adeogun had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
DLSU had a sluggish start in the first quarter which ended with San Beda on top, 20-15. Incoming fourth year guard Torres lifted La Salle, drilling the only three-pointer by both teams in the game while scoring five points in the opening period.
On the other hand, good ball movement by San Beda led to inside baskets. Forward Arthur Dela Cruz registered four points and grabbed six of his seven total rebounds in the opening canto.
DLSU head coach Juno Sauler utilized his new players in the second quarter with at least two rookies on the floor at any given time. The Taft-based squad dominated the boards with Mbala manning the paint.![MKE_2982 [1600x1200]](http://thelasallian.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/MKE_2982-1600x1200.jpg)
With seven points in the second quarter, forward Teng sparked a comeback to tie the game within three minutes left in the half. The cagers went back and fourth for the rest of the quarter and the score was even at 32 by halftime.
The Green Archers attacked aggressively as soon as the second half started. A series of forced turnovers and fastbreak plays generated a 7-0 run for La Salle, holding the NCAA champions scoreless for the first five minutes of the third period.
The battle in the paint between Mbala and Ola Adeogun was physical. Mbala got the better of Adeogun, grabbing seven of his 14 rebounds in the third quarter alone.
The Red Lions only came up with five points on six percent shooting while La Salle had a terrific run with seven different players contributing to the scoreboard. The period ended with a 14 point advantage for the Green-and-White, 51-37.
The Bedans turned up the defense in the start of the fourth, effectively stopping the fast-paced offense of DLSU with their full court pressure and forcing nine turnovers from the Green Archers.
The Red Lions took advantage and scored six points off La Salle’s turnovers.
SBC came up with a vital steal off a risky half-court pass by the Taft-based squad and reduced the gap to four in the last minute. Mbala drained one of two free-throws and exceptional defense from DLSU prevented San Beda from scoring another basket until the final buzzer.
The Green Archers remain undefeated in the PCCL. They will now face bitter the FEU Tamaraws, the squad that eliminated them from contention in the past UAAP season, this Monday, November 24, at the Ynares Sports Arena
