REDEMPTION has been achieved for Letran as it ascended back to the pinnacle of NCAA Season 101 juniors basketball with a thrilling 91-88 Game Two overtime triumph over Arellano on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Travis Pascual delivered the go-ahead layup with 28.4 seconds to go as the Squires played honest defense and watched as Axel Mendoza missed a forced corner three with 15.1 ticks left.
Alvin Villanueva sealed the win with a split from the line with 14.0 on the clock as Chris John Dy muffed a desperation three at the buzzer.
"One hell of a ride," sighed first-year head coach Andrei Estrella, getting the crown back after Letran lost in the Final Four last season.
"A for lot of challenges and adversities, even off the court pa nga, but it's all hard work. Coming to a team that had title aspirations, time was a problem but at the latter part of the season, nakita ko na iisa na kami."
Finals MVP Justin Cargo tallied a double-double of 17 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists, quarterbacking the Squires to their third crown in four seasons.
"Masakit yung nangyari last season. Kaya simula pa lang ng offseason, nag-sumikap ako ng mag-isa," stated the Bacolod City native.
Villanueva added 13 points, none bigger than his game-tying trey with 1.5 ticks left, on top of his eight boards and three assists.
Pascual also chimed in 12 points, two rebounds, and two steals, fellow Gilas Pilipinas Youth team member Mico Pascual had 12 points, five boards, and two blocks, and Nathan Egea had 10 points, five rebounds, and three assists in the triumph.
It was a painful defeat for the Braves which almost got the game after losing grip of the game late in regulation and even rallied from an 83-76 deficit in extra time to knot the score at 88 with 45.2 left courtesy of a Mendoza trey.
Mythical Team member John Ray Ladica played his heart out, ending up with 37 points on 6-of-11 shooting from rainvow country, as well as five rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the runner-up finish.
Season MVP Sean Franco also contributed a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Mendoza had 16 points and six boards in the loss.
Joining them in the Mythical Five are Jhillian Palis of Mapua, Rookie of tge Year Josef Calo-oy and Patrick Pasinos of Benilde-La Salle Greenhills, and Kelly Coronel of Emilio Aguinaldo College, while Arellano's Laurence Pillas was adjudged as the Most Improved Player.
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