LETRAN took the longer and more winding road, but it's still the first team into the finals of the NCAA Season 101 men's basketball tournament.
Rallying from eight points down inside the last seven minutes, the Knights wrote a heartbreaking ending for top seed Perpetual's fairy tale run courtesy of a 74-70 win in the 'Grand Ol' League's' Final Four, Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Altas were actually ahead, 68-60, at the 6:49 mark of the final frame before Titing Manalili and Jimboy Estrada joined forces for a 12-2 charge that sent Letran ahead, 72-70, with 1:41 remaining.
The two teams then traded defensive stops until Knights forward Jun Roque proved to be a thorn on the side of his old alma mater by missing his free throws, but getting the offensive rebound in the last six seconds.
He atoned for his misses by converting his couple more charities, giving his new team more breathing room en route to the championship round.
Manalili topped the scoring column for Letran with a 16-point, 14-assist double-double, while running mate Estrada was right there with him with 11 markers of his own.
Roque and captain Deo Cuajao also contributed nine points apiece, as they took the fight out of their opponents with a 20-6 final frame.
Letran back!
Before toppling No. 1-ranked Perps in the best-of-three semifinals, the Knights finished third in the so-called 'Group of Death' after the preliminary round and had to overcome twice-to-beat Arellano in the quarterfinals.
After this semifinals sweep, however, they get a few more days to rest and recover, all while archrival San Beda and Strong Group Athletics stablemate Benilde fight on Sunday at Araneta Coliseum for the right to meet them in the finals.
The Altas' Cinderella run meets its end even after Patrick Sleat's 17-point, five-rebound, and three-assist effort, as well as Mark Gojo Cruz' 15-marker, six-board outing.
Nonetheless, the Las Pinas-based squad returned to the Final Four for the first time since Season 97 and got past the prelims for the first time under coach Olsen Racela.
The Scores:
LETRAN 74 – Manalili 16, Estrada 11, Roque 9, Cuajao 9, Omega 7, Buensalida 7, Santos 6, Gammad 5, Tapenio 4, Montecillo 0
PERPETUAL 70 – Sleat 17, Gojo Cruz 15, Abis 10, Orgo 7, Nuñez 6, Boral 5, Tulabut 3, Alcantara 3, Casinilio 2, Maglupay 2
Quarters: 18-15, 39-42, 54-64, 74-70
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