Jimboy Estrada delivered once again in the clutch, drilling a game-winning three-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining to lift Colegio de San Juan de Letran past the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 85-83, and close out the NCAA Season 102 seniors basketball tournament eliminations on a winning note Tuesday at the Filoil Centre.
With the victory, the Knights wrapped up the preliminary round with a 9-4 record to secure the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
Letran will await the winner of the Mapua University-Lyceum of the Philippines University play-in matchup, while Perpetual, which finished fourth in Group B with a 4-9 slate, will face San Sebastian College-Recoletos in the play-ins.
Estrada once again proved to be Letran’s go-to man in crunch time, finishing with 19 points, four assists, and three rebounds.
The Knights found themselves trailing, 83-82, with just 6.9 seconds left when they entrusted the ball to Estrada, who calmly pulled up from beyond the arc to bury the go-ahead triple with 2.2 ticks remaining.
The Altas failed to execute their ensuing inbound play, allowing Letran to escape with the victory.
“Sabi ko at sinabi sa coaches namin na babawi kami. Hindi puwedeng hindi kami bumawi,” said Estrada, who admitted that the Knights were motivated to bounce back after their previous loss to Emilio Aguinaldo College.
“Nasaktan talaga kami sa last game namin sa EAC. Nagprepare kami para dito sa Perpetual,” he added.
Perpetual had threatened to pull off the upset after taking an 81-78 lead late in the contest, but Titing Manalili sparked a Letran comeback with a personal four-point run to put the Knights ahead, 82-81, with 20 seconds remaining.
JM Tulabut answered with a jumper to restore the Altas’ lead at 83-82, setting the stage for Estrada’s heroics.
Chad Gammad provided additional firepower for Letran with 19 points, three rebounds, and three assists, while Justin Cargo and Kevin Santos contributed 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Tulabut paced Perpetual with 12 points, while Gelo Gelsano posted a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort.
The Scores:
Letran 85 – Estrada 19, Gammad 19, Cargo 11, Santos 10, Reyes 6, Manalili 5, Walker 5, Buensalida 5, Valdeavilla 3, Villanueva 2, Hugo 0, Montecillo 0
Perpetual Help 83 – Tulabut 12, Gelsano 11, Orgo 10, Corpuz 9, Cristino 9, Montemayor 8, Gojo Cruz 7, Casinillo 7, Maglupay 3, Duremdes 3, Roluna 2, Borja 2
Quarterscores: 33-21, 45-43, 63-69, 85-83
