No player from San Beda University was included in the list of individual awards winners of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99 seniors basketball.
Left out of the Mythical 5 and the Defensive team, the Red Lions used it as motivation to fire up their mission of achieving the biggest prize of all — the championship.
Phenomenal San Beda guard Jacob Cortez felt that seeing no one among the red and white in the individual honor roll lit a fire from under the Red Lions as they went on to win Game 2 of the best-of-three championship series to force a rubber match last Sunday.
“It added a lot of fuel. No disrespect to the other guys since they deserved it but that made us even more motivated to prove a lot of people wrong,” said Cortez, son of former Philippine Basketball Association star Mike Cortez.
“That is what San Beda has been doing and we’re still on that mission of proving people wrong,” added the third year veteran, who dropped 21 points in leading San Beda to a 71-65 victory at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Game 3 is on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
San Beda faced and triumphed over a lot of adversities that came their way to book a championship ticket.
The Red Lions had to get through twice-to-beat Lyceum of the Philippines University in the Final Four to set up a showdown against Mapua led by Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Clint Escamis.
With its back against the wall after suffering a 63-68 loss in the series opener, San Beda caught the Cardinals on a shooting night to equalize in Game 2.
Now, the Red Lions are out to finish the job and capture their 23rd crown overall.
“Like I said last time, we’re going to win Game 2 and we’re going to win Game 3. (But) it’s not going to be easy,” Cortez said.
“Mapua hasn’t lost many games this season so I know they’re going to come back stronger and more motivated. But I’m very confident in our group.”
