LETRAN pounced on the endgame collapse of St. Benilde and dealt the NCAA leader a 71-69 loss in a thrilling finish in the Season 100 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday
Deo Cuajao rallied the Knights in the final quarter by hitting clutch baskets from beyond the arc, while Kevin Santos stepped in and scored the go-ahead basket as Letran completed its comeback from a 60-46 deficit.
A wide-open Jose Eusebio had a chance to win it for the Blazers, but his attempt from beyond the arc rimmed in and out of the basket, before Joseph Nunag collared the rebound to preserve the dramatic win for the Knights before a frenzied crowd at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.
Cuajao top scored for Letran with 20 points and hit 5-of-11 from three-point range, while rookie Jimboy Estrada added 17 before fouling out in the highly-intense game marred by a punching incident on Pao Javillonar by guard Jhomel Ancheta midway in the first half.
“Ang sarap sa pakiramdam kasi sila yung nasa itaas,” said Cuajao of inflicting St. Benilde its first loss of the season after winning its first four games.
“Hindi namin expect ito.”
And who would?
The Knights were outscored in the second quarter, 27-15, as the Blazers wiped out an early 11-point deficit to take a 41-35 lead at the half.
They were still down by 14 early in the final quarter, before Cuajao began hitting his strides from the outside to spark the big endgame comeback of Letran.
The Knights finally caught up with the Blazers at 69-all as Nunag scored on point blank range, before Santos stepped in and made his first and only basket of the game to give the team the lead for good.
“Binuhos ko lang yung game ko para sa pamilya ko. At nagtiwala ako kay coach Allen (Ricardo) na kaya kong maglaro,” said Santos, who was 0-of-5 before he sank the game winner.
Saddled by foul trouble, Javillonar finished with 13 points and three rebounds even as he shrugged off the closed fist thrown on him by Ancheta during a rebound play in the second quarter and the Knights ahead, 27-18.
“That’s basketball. Kung ano yung hatol ng referee, e di ok. Ganun naman ang basketball, e,” said the Letran team captain as Ancheta was ejected for the act.
Letran, which was outscored in fastbreak points, 23-0, improved to a 3-2 record after coming off a loss against Mapua the last time to tie University of Perpetual Help and defending champion San Beda at third place.
Despite the loss. St. Benilde kept the top spot as Tony Ynot topscored for 15 points, and Allen Liwag delivered a double-double of 12 points and 15 rebounds, along with five assists.
The scores
Letran 71 -- Cuajao 20, Estrada 17, Javillonar 13, Montecillo 8, Monje 8, Santos 2, Nunag 2, Galoy 1, Delfino 0, Dimaano 0, Baliling 0, Miller 0, Jumao-As 0, Pradella 0.
St. Benilde 69 -- Ynot 15, Liwag 12, Sangco 11, Torres 7, Cajucom 6, Sanchez 5, Eusebio 5, Ancheta 4, Cometa 2, Oli 2, Morales 0, Turco 0.
Quarters: 20-14; 35-41; 46-55; 71-69.
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