Letran's Kevin Alas scores against an Emilio Aguinaldo College defender during Wednesday's NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan. The Knights won in overtime, 85-84, to boost their Final Four bid. (MANNY LLANES)

Games on Friday (The Arena, San Juan)
10 a.m. – Perpetual vs Arellano (Jrs)
11:45 a.m. – JRU vs CSB (Jrs)
2 p.m. – Perpetual vs Arellano (Srs)
4 p.m. – JRU vs CSB (Srs)

For two quarters, the San Beda Red Lions struggled to find their rhythm. But once they found it, they almost reduced their rivals to mere spectators with their dazzling act.

And that led to their massive 89-56 win over the Angeles Great Danes in the 85th NCAA basketball tournament on Wednesday at The Arena in San Juan City.

Garvo Lanete and Bam Gamalinda made it all happen as they took charge of the team’s bristling assault starting in the third quarter en route to their seventh win in eight games.

Jomar Datang came through with a big defensive gem down the stretch as the Letran Knights nosed out Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals with an 85-84 overtime win in the second game.

With the Knights leading 85-84, the 6-foot-2 Datang blocked Claude Cubo’s jumper with less than five seconds to seal the win for the Knights, who improved to 5-3.

Datang’s split charities with 3.3 seconds left forced the overtime at 76-all. He finished with only five points.

RJ Jazul and Rey Guevarra, both members of the RP developmental team of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), led the Knights with 26 and 12 points, respectively. Rookie Kevin Alas chipped in 10 markers.

The prolific Lanete and Gamalinda each had eight points in the pivotal third frame as the Lions exploded for 26 points while holding the Danes to only 12 points that gave their second unit an opportunity to close out the game.

American rookie Sudan Daniel made six points in that blazing run which he highlighted with alley-hoop dunk.

The win, however, did not come easy as what the score reflected.

Though undersized, the Danes leaned on their hustle plays to knot the count at 27-all on Rowell Maniago’s lay up with 4:53 left after trailing 19-25 early in the second canto.

“We started slow and soft. I guess ganun talaga pag alam ng mga bata na kaya nila ang kalaban,” SBC mentor Frankie Lim, seeking to steer his wards to their fourth straight title and 15th overall, said.

Lanete went on to finished with 20 points on a scorching 6-of-7 shooting from the field.

The 6-foot-8 Daniel, whose charities gave the Lions their biggest lead at 35, 87-52, in the fourth, nearly had a triple double-double performance after finishing with 17 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks.

The win was a big boost for the Red Lions, who are priming up for their grudge rematch with Jose Rizal University on Monday.

The scores:
First Game (Srs)
SAN BEDA 89 — Lanete 20, Daniel 17, Taganas 13, Pascual 12, Gamalinda 8, Marcelo 4, Hermida 3, Villanueva 3, Soliman 3, Tecson 2, dela Rosa 2, Sorela 2, Lim 0, Tirona 0, Caram 0.
ANGELES 56 — Santos 13, Gomez 10, Maniago 10, Manarang 9, Gigante 6, Fuertez 4, Nacu 4, Henson 0, Dumlao 0, Musni 0.
Quarters: 23-15, 38-31, 64-43, 89-56

Second Game (Srs)
LETRAN 85 — Jazul 26, Gueverra 12, Kevin Alas 10, Cortes 9, Del Rosario 6, Gutilban 6, Datang 5, Foronda 5, Kris Alas 3, Belencion 3
EAC 84 — Mendoza 27, Cubo 18, Santos 11, Diolanto 9, L. Yaya 8, R. Yaya 2, Ong 2, Chiong 1, Liwag 0.
Quarters: 21-23, 37-36, 61-58, 76-76; OT 85-84.