San Beda University dethroned three-time reigning champion University of the Philippines with a convincing 93-72 victory on Sunday at the FilOil Centre in San Juan, securing a spot in the 19th FilOil Preseason Cup Finals.
RC Calimag spearheaded the Red Lions’ offensive surge, explosive for 27 points behind a 6-of-10 shooting performance from beyond the arc. Dom Sarigumba contributed 17 points, seven assists, and two boards, while Aldous Torculas added 14 points.
San Beda seized the upper hand early and dominated the entire contest, stretching their advantage to as much as 26 points in the wire-to-wire blowout.
The Red Lions dedicated the emotional triumph to their teammate JV Gallego, who tragically passed away in a vehicular accident on Saturday.
”No team is deadlier than one which is playing for something, and playing for JV today really brought us together,” Santos said. “He is one of the best shot-makers on the court, and today we won the game. It’s that simple — we made shots,” he added.
Penny Estacio chipped in 11 points and six passing dimes, while Zed Etulle dominated inside with a double-double performance of 10 points and 12 rebounds.
The victory positions San Beda for a best-of-three title series against Jose Rizal University, marking the historic first time two NCAA teams will clash for the FilOil Preseason crown. The Red Lions were the most recent NCAA program to take home the championship, a feat achieved under the leadership of Robert Bolick against De La Salle University.
San Beda extended its impressive streak against UAAP powerhouses, which includes a 64-59 upset over La Salle in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Veejay Pre, Sean Alter, and former Red Lion James Payosing notched 10 points apiece for the Fighting Maroons, who will miss the tournament’s championship round for the first time since 2023.
Quarter scores: 24-15, 37-35, 68-48, 93-72.