In its penultimate game of the NCAA Season 100 Seniors Basketball Tournament, also-ran Arellano University mounted a stunning comeback, rallying from a 14-point deficit to end Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s Final Four hopes with a 67-65 victory on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The Chiefs have earned a reputation as giant killers this season, toppling powerhouse teams like the top-seeded College of Saint Benilde and defending champions San Beda University.
On Wednesday, they added another NCAA heavyweight to their list by defeating the Knights.
Arellano head coach Chico Manabat explained that Letran’s storied history as one of the most prestigious programs in the league fueled his team’s determination to pull off the upset.
“About naman sa Letran na gusto namin talunin, siyempre [may] history ang Letran. Marami nang championship yan with the good coaches ng Letran. Lahat kami gusto namin talunin yung mga ganoon sa isa’t isa,” Manabat said.
“Talagang gusto nilang talunin yung Letran kasi alam niyo naman champion yang Letran,” he added.
The Chiefs showed incredible grit, fighting until the very last second to take the lead.
Down by one with 18.7 seconds remaining, Arellano had multiple attempts to score. Basti Valencia then grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back to give the Chiefs a 66-65 advantage.
On the other end, Arellano prepared for an isolation play from Letran’s Jimboy Estrada, whose midrange jumper bounced around the rim before falling into the hands of JL Capulong.
With a chance to extend the lead, Capulong split his free throws, leaving Arellano with a narrow 67-65 lead.
With just 2.5 seconds left, Letran’s Nat Montecillo had a final game-winning attempt, but his shot failed to find the basket, sealing the win for Arellano.
It was a total team effort for the Chiefs, with Capulong posting a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Maverick Vinoya added nine points, while Valencia chipped in with eight, including the go-ahead bucket.
Arellano improved to a 7-10 record and will face Mapúa University in their final game of the season on Saturday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
For Letran, Kobe Monje ended his career with a dominant 24-point performance, while Paolo Javillonar contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.
Nat Montecillo added 11 points, six boards, and three assists as Jimboy Estrada struggled, scoring only 10 points on 33.3% shooting and committing seven turnovers.
Despite a strong start to the season, the Knights lost seven of their last nine games in the second round and ended up in sixth place with an 8-10 record.
Letran now misses the Final Four for the second consecutive season, as seniors Monje and Javillonar bid farewell to the school.
The Scores:
Arellano 67 – Capulong 13, Vinoya 9, Valencia 8, Camay 7, Hernal 7, Geronimo 6, De Leon 4, Borroneo 4, Libang 4, Abiera 3, Miller 2, Ongotan 0, Flores 0
Letran 65 – Monje 24, Montecillo 11, Javillonar 11, Estrada 10, Miller 5, Santos 2, Nunag 2, Cuajao 0, Jumao-As 0, Dimaano 0
Quarterscores: 17-16, 28-40, 51-54, 67-65
