Pirates make debut vs Blazers

**Admin Magic Man13** Mon Jul 04, 2011 1:22 am

MANILA, Philippines — Two days after Letran pulled off a shock 76-65 win over title favorite Mapua, the 87th NCAA basketball tournament resumes with four teams making their debut at The Arena in San Juan.

Battling at 11:45 a.m. Monday are College of St. Benilde and guest team Lyceum. At 4 p.m., Arellano battles Emilio Aguinaldo College in the other seniors’ game at 4 p.m.

The Lyceum Pirates will lean on Rich Guevarra, Kevin Lacap and former Adamson center Allan Santos against the Blazers led by 2010 Rookie of the Year Carlo Lastimosa.

Arellano, coached by Leo Isaac, will be led by Adrian Celada and Jerald Lapuz.

San Beda College opened its title-retention bid Saturday with a comfortable 82-52 win over University of Perpetual Help.

But the Knights posted the season’s first upset win against the Cardinals.

Led by Kevin Alas’ 22 points, the Knights handcuffed six-foot-seven Fil-Palestine center Yousef Taha and ace guard Allan Mangahas to win their first game for the first time since 2008.

Taha, jeered on by the Letran crowd, had 10 points and 10 rebounds but struggled against the Knights frontline.

Mangahas, on the other hand, had 23 points but went scoreless in the final quarter.

“Game plan was to contain Taha and limit the scoring of Mangahas,” said coach Louie Alas. “Our defensive intensity picked up in the second half.”

The Knights missed the Final Four last year.

Alas scored on a layup to give the Knights a 75-61 lead with 27 seconds left and got into an altercation with Taha that cost them both a technical.

Jonas Terrado, Manila Bulletin