Games on Friday (The Arena, San Juan)
10 a.m. - San Beda vs JRU (Jrs)
11:45 a.m. - Letran vs SSC (Jrs)
2 p.m. - San Beda vs Letran (Srs)
4 p.m. - San Sebastian vs Jose Rizal (Srs)

Defending champion San Beda pounced on the disqualification of San Sebastian top gunner Jimbo Aquino and then held the Stags scoreless for almost three minutes to score a 71-65 win and secure the No. 1 position in the Final Four of the 85th NCAA basketball tournament on Wednesday at The Arena in San Juan.

Protecting a slim 68-65 lead with 2:41 left, the Red Lions came through with three defensive stops to repulse the spirited challenge of San Sebastian.

The Stags struggled without Aquino, who was thrown out of the game early in the third quarter for a punching foul.

Borgie Hermida fired a season-high 18 points on top of three assist while rookie Adler Del Rosario made his presence felt with 12 as the Red Lions duplicated their 71-67 win last Monday that forced yesterday’s knock out match.

The No. 1 Lions will face the No. 4 Letran, while the Stags, who ended up at No. 2 after being No.1 in the standings for several weeks, battle the No. 3 Jose Rizal University tomorrow at the start of the Final Four at the same venue.

The Stags started to disintegrate following the ejection of Aquino, a leading MVP contender, who was tossed out of the game after “punching” Jake Pacual during a defensive formation with San Beda up 38-30, four minutes into the third period.

It was a double whammy for San Beda as it juniors squad turned what was expected to be a tough knock out match into a rout as the Red Cubs crushed the Letran Squires, 91-77, to claim the No. 1 spot in the Final Four.