The steady hands of senior cagers Rafael Are, Rommel Calahat and Alex Desoyo kept the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Stags’ fading Final Four semifinal hopes alive in the 99th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.
Are, Calahat and Desoyo, fixtures in the Stags’ big battles since they were in high school, scored in double digits with Tristan Felebrico to lead San Sebastian College to a 94-75 demolishing of the dethroned champion Letran Knights on Wednesday at the FilOil-EcoOil Center in San Juan.
Desoyo and Are went to work early, with the former knocking in 12 of his career-high 23 points in the second period, as the Stags bounced back from their loss to the Mapua Cardinals last Sunday.
Desoyo, who shot 13 points with newbie Reggz Gabat, unloaded 10 also in the second period for the Stags, who went on to take a 13-point, 51-38 halftime edge.
Calahat, who banged in 21 points, had his turn in the third canto, shooting seven points to help hand the Stags a 21-point, 65-44 lead in the 4:05 mark.
“One game at a time, kung may chance pa kami, we’ll do our best in each and every game and to learn from it, ‘yun lang naman goal namin,” said SSC-R coach John Kallos.
The Stags stayed in contention for the Final Four after picking up their fourth triumph in 13 outings.
Jay Garupil banged in 16 points for the undermanned Knights, who missed team captain Kurt Reyson and Niel Guarino due to injuries.
The Knights with Kobe Monje and Rafael Go adding 13 points, took their sixth straight loss, dropping behind with their 1-13 win-loss card.