MAPUA remained as one of the hottest teams in the NCAA Season 102 as it pulled out all stops to claim its fourth straight win, taking out a gritty Letran side in OT, 69-67, Monday at the FIloil Center in San Juan.
Lance Nitura was one of the five Cardinals who scored exactly 11 points, but none bigger than the ones he scored in the extension — dropping five of his tally in that stretch, including the three that gave the Cardinals the separation, 68-64, with 2:09 remaining.
Mapua now improved top 4-3 after starting off a sour to 0-3 in the tournament.
"All the sacrifices, the tough losses, we learned a lot from that. There's a reason kung bakit siguro kami natalo nung ganung situation, yung panalo na natalo pa," Mapua head coach Chito Victolero said.
"There's always a reason. God taught us to win close games, how to execute and how to stay positive amid all the mistakes we commit."
The Cardinals were pretty much in control for the entire game, as they pummeled on a Knights squad who were obviously feeling the absence of star guard Titing Manalili.
Midway through the third, the boys of coach Victolero took a 15 point lead — looking poised to runaway to their fourth straight win but the Knights — particularly the young backcourt pair of sophomore Chad Gammad and rookie Justin Cargo — had other plans.
Behind the shot-making of Gammad and the energy on both ends of Cargo, the Knights stormed back in the game and even found themselves ahead 61-58 with less than a minute remaining, before Ivan Lazarte sent the game into overtime with a three-point play.
In the extra-period, it was all the Cardinals as they suffocated the Knights on defense, while draining the big shots courtesy of the younger Lazarte to take the hard-earned win. It didn't help the Knights' that they missed four of their six attempts from the free throw line in that stretch.
"We led by 15. But they kept on coming back. That's the spirit of Letran. That's their competitiveness but I'd like to give credit to the composure of the whole team. The composure of this group. Jamal (Diaz), Lance (Nitura), even MJ (Bernabe), (Ken) Dones. Kumbaga pinakita nila yung composure nila," Victolero said.
"I'm very happy pero hindi pa dito natatapos lahat. We're trying to pagaralan pa yung mali namin na pwede namin i-tama."
Yam Concepcion finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds while Lazarte also added 11 to go along six assists. Cy Cuenco added 11 points and three steals, while Jamal Diaz rounded up the quintet of 11 point scorers.
Gammad led the Knights with 18 points built on four treys while Jimboy Estrada added 13 points and three steals. Cargo, now transitioning to the point with Manalili out, finished with 10 points, eight assists and three steals as the Knights dropped to 4-3.
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