Colegio de San Juan de Letran handed College of Saint Benilde its first loss in the NCAA Season 100 Seniors Basketball Tournament, claiming a thrilling 71-69 victory on Sunday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre in San Juan City.
Kevin Santos made the crucial basket with just 13.3 seconds remaining, sealing the win for the Knights.
The game was tightly contested, and with the score tied at 69, Nathan Montecillo, a 5-foot-10 guard from Cebu, found Santos, a 6-foot-7 big man from Pampanga, underneath the basket for the decisive score.
“For me, I always tell the boys to focus on the defense and at the same time, sabi ko sa kanila rin, just keep the team close and we have a chance,” said first-year Knights head coach Allen Ricardo.
Santos’s impact was felt not just on offense but also on defense. After a timeout, Tony Ynot found himself open for a shot, but Santos made a hard push to cover him.
Ynot then passed the ball to Anton Eusebio, who missed his attempt, allowing Benilde to suffer its first loss in five games.
Ricardo praised Santos’s performance, noting, “Ang laking factor ng game na ito sa kanya. Definitely, mas pagiigihan pa niya sa ensayo at looking forward to him sa upcoming games namin.”
Santos had missed his first five attempts before hitting the game-winner.
The match held additional importance for both Ricardo and Charles Tiu, as it marked the first time Strong Group-backed teams faced each other in the NCAA Seniors Basketball Tournament.
Ricardo remarked, “Actually, hindi siya nagparamdam sa ‘min. Siguro, may the best man win yung nasa isip niya,” in reference to Strong Group chairman Frank Lao.
Letran had to stage a comeback from a daunting 60-46 deficit in the final quarter. Deo Cuajao was instrumental in this resurgence, scoring 15 of his 20 points in the closing frame, with support from Jimboy Estrada, who contributed 17 points and five rebounds before fouling out late in the game.
Ricardo encouraged Cuajao, saying, “Sabi ko kay Deo, if there’s enough space, i-shoot mo yan dahil nakita ko na yan sa ‘yo nung bata ka pa.”
With this victory, Letran improved its record to 3-2, sharing fourth place in the standings.
The Knights will next face Emilio Aguinaldo on Wednesday, looking to build on their momentum.
On the other hand, Benilde, led by Ynot with 15 points and Allen Liwag’s double-double of 12 points and 15 rebounds, will seek to bounce back against Lyceum on Friday.
However, they may have to do so without point guard Jhomel Ancheta, who received a disqualifying foul after throwing a closed fist at Paolo Javillonar with 6:44 left in the second quarter.
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 71 – Ynot 15, Liwag 12, Sangco 11, Torres 7, Cajucom 6, Sanchez 5, Eusebio 5, Ancheta 4, Cometa 2, Oli 2, Morales 0, Turco 0.
Quarterscores: 20-14, 41-35, 46-55, 71-69.
