They say that love is sweeter the second time around. But for these two schools, there is absolutely no love lost.
It will be another La Salle-Ateneo championship showdown as JV Casio made up for a sluggish first half with another outstanding endgame performance as he helped propel the Green Archers to a come-from-behind 62-61 win over NCAA champion San Beda Red Lions today in their Final Four match of the 2008 Philippine Collegiate Championships at The Arena in San Juan City.
Casio scored 7 of his 11 points in the final quarter including the go-ahead lay-up with only 6 seconds remaining in the game to knockout the Red Lions and arrange another duel with the Blue Eagles who earlier defeated the Letran Knights, 61-60 in the other Final Four encounter.
Rico Maierhofer spearheaded La Salle with 17 points and 11 rebounds. San Beda, who led for almost the entire ballgame only to falter in the homestretch had rookie sensation Jake Pascual as their top scorer with 15.
Ateneo swept the Archers in this year’s UAAP Finals last September. They will again meet on Monday at the Araneta Coliseum for a one game affair for the right to be called the best collegiate squad in the country.
This will officially be Casio’s last game as an Archer.
Scores
LA SALLE 62 – Maierhofer 17, Barua 11, Casio 11, Bagatsing 7, Walsham 6, Malabes 5, Mangahas 2, Ferdinand 2, Villanueva 1, Mendoza 0, Webb 0.
SAN BEDA 61 – Pascual 15, Ekwe 12, Menor 8, Tecson 7, Tirona 5, Taganas 4, Lanete 4, Gamalinda 4, Villanueva 2, Marcelo 0.
Quarters: 8-16; 23-35; 43-49; 62-61.