BEFORE an appreciative crowd of 22,465 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena, the San Beda Red Lions secured a 71-65 victory against the Mapua Cardinals in Game Two on December 10, setting the stage for a riveting decider in the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball Finals.

Jacob Cortez orchestrated a late-game surge, contributing 21 points, including two crucial triples in the last 4:28. Despite a challenging third quarter, San Beda emerged with a remarkable 23-point performance in the final canto.

The pivotal moment came with Yukien Andrada’s three-pointer, granting the Red Lions a 70-63 advantage with 2:21 remaining.

Mapua attempted a comeback but faltered, missing crucial free throws, and Peter Alfaro sealed the deal by splitting his charities in the last 8 seconds.

Game Three is scheduled for next Sunday, December 17, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The scores:

San Beda (71) – Cortez 21, Puno 9, Andrada 9, Jopia 8, Alfaro 7, Royo 6, Cuntapay 5, Payosing 4, Tagle 2, Gonzales 0, Visser 0.
Mapua (65) – Escamis 15, Recto 14, Hernandez 13, Soriano 10, Cuenco 5, Rosillo 5, Bonifacio 3, Asuncion 0, Dalisay 0, Bancale 0.
Quarterscores: 20-19, 42-30, 48-53, 71-65