The Daily Tribune <<< Without Fear or Favor >>>

»HEADLINES

»NATION

Stags try to prove it could win games

07/16/2008

After giving San Beda College a big scare, San Sebastian College tries to bounce back when it faces another heavy contender in unbeaten Letran College today in the 84th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The Stags test the Knights at 2 p.m. followed by the clash between Perpetual Help Dalta System and Jose Rizal College in the 4 p.m. featured tussle.

Billed as underdogs this season, the Stags could have been one of the league’s elite teams if not for some last-minute miscues in their opening loss at the hands of the Perpetual Help (55-60) and Mapua Institute of Technology (80-86) last week.

Against the heavily-favored Red Lions last Monday, the Stags almost pulled off a resounding upset, but Pong Escobal restored order, burying a heart-stopping layup with time winding down.

San Beda won, 84-83, but San Sebastian turned its critics into instant believers after the show.

“Luck refused to bounce our way, especially in the dying seconds,” Stags’ mentor Jorge Gallent said, smarting a 1-3 win-loss card. “(Beating) Letran would never be easy, but we’re ready to infuse the same formula that almost gave us the victory over San Beda.”

Letran, which was swept by San Beda in the finals last year, is on top of the standing with a 3-0 mark. But it doesn’t make the Knights invincible, especially when hotshots RJ Jazul, John Melegrito and Rey Guevarra sputter offensively.