LETRAN is living to fight another day.
The Knights erased an early double-digit deficit before taking control in the second half to take an 87-78 win over the Arellano Chiefs in an NCAA Season 101 quarterfinals match-up on Wednesday at the Playtime Filoil Center in San Juan.
Letran found itself chasing after a confident Arellano side, going behind by as many as 11 points early in the second quarter, before finally turning on the jets and taking control of the game.
A 13-0 run midway through the third quarter broke the game wide open as the Knights opened a 69-58 spread, a lead they’d meticulously take care of until the final buzzer to force a KO match this Friday for a semifinals spot.
"We started flat eh. So, sama ng start namin, hindi kami makakuha ng momentum kasi dami rin namin binigay na offensive rebounds and second chance points. Despite that, we were struggling, pero nandun pa rin kami, dumidikit pa rin kami," Letran head coach Allen Ricardo said.
"Sabi ko lang, we just need multiple stops and good execution para somehow medyo ma-control natin yung game."
And control the game they did.
After taking a double-digit lead, the Knights pretty much had answers to every comeback attempt from the Chiefs.
Back-to-back dunks from Kevin Santos and Jun Roque, the former a recepient of another highlight-reel worthy assist from Titing Manalili, pretty much took the fight from these Chiefs as the Knights took an 83-71 lead with 3:34 remaining in the game.
Jimboy Estrada led the Knights with 22 points while Santos had a near-perfect night after firing 20 points to go along nine boards and three blocks.
Manalili added 15 points, nine assists and three steals while Deo Cuajao also chipped in 11 points in the win.
T-Mc Ongotan led the Chiefs with 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists but it wasn't enough as his running mate in Renzo Abiera was limited to a single point in the game.
The scores:
LETRAN 87 – Estrada 22, Santos 20, Manalili 15, Cuajao 11, Omega 9, Buensalida 6, Roque 2, Tapenio 2, Gammad 0, Montecillo 0, Rosilio 0
ARELLANO 78 – Ongotan 18, Valencia 11, Cabotaje 10, Libang 10, Vinoya 9, Camay 8, Demetria 4, Geronimo 4, Hernal 3, Abiera 1, Borromeo 0, Buenaventura 0
Quarters: 19-27, 48-46, 75-67, 87-78
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