San Beda Red Lions snag third championship title in a row

“For all our preparations this season, we got the championship. We got the three-peat.” – Coach Boyet Fernandez (Photo: San Beda Red Lions/Facebook)

The San Beda University Red Lions still prove to be the strongest team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as they snagged the top trophy for the league’s ninth season in a best-of-three series against the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates, winning the first two games – the most recent at the Mall of Asia Arena last Monday, November 12. The score finished at 71-56. This is the third season in a row that San Beda won first place and the school’s 11th crown in the past 13 years.

The Mendiola-based team consists of the big three graduating lions who are also part of this season’s mythical five, namely Robert Bolick, Javee Mocon, and Donald Tankoua. Mocon was hailed Finals MVP as he played a huge part especially in game two of the series, contributing 16 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks. At one point in the game, the Lions were leading as much as 21 points, despite Pirate CJ Perez’s much-anticipated return to the court. 

Head Coach Boyet Fernandez beamed with joy at his players’ championship performance, telling the media in Filipino, “I’m happy. For all our preparations this season, we got the championship. We got the three-peat.” Besides thanking his coaching staff, he also gives a word of appreciation to his lineup, sharing, “I really want to give a huge thank you to all of the players. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be champion, we wouldn’t have gotten the three-peat.”

As for how he believes they won the top spot, Coach Boyet added, “It’s the product of the preparation and the scouting. We’re always there for every game of LPU.” The Red Lions found their niche at the three-point line during the final game, making a total of 11 and shooting 35.71% from the field. Besides Mocon’s impressive 16 points, Clint Doliguez and Tankoua made 14 and 13 points respectively. In retrospect, Coach Boyet concluded, “At least all the hard work and sacrifices paid off. It is not only my effort but the effort of the whole community.”