San Beda-Taytay’s journey to the NCAA Juniors Basketball Tournament’s final four wasn’t easy, but thanks to the hard work of the likes of Jharmaine Lecciones, they managed to earn a better spot on the ladder.
For Lecciones, the win was a testament to the team’s perseverance and determination to defend their crown, despite the injuries that plagued some of their players.
“Unang-una nagpapasalamat po ako sa Panginoon dahil binigay niya po to samin. Nagpapasalamat po ako dahil kahit na may nainjury [Dungo and Hubila pero si Hubila nakabalik naman],” said Lecciones, who led the team with 25 points, five boards, two assists and two steals in their battle for twice-to-beat game against La Salle Greenhills.
“Lumalaban pa din po kami at binigay yung best namin.”
The 5-foot-11 guard out of Marikina played a crucial role in the game against the Greenies, scoring two key free throws to give San Beda a two-point lead with just 23 seconds left.
Despite the absence of injured players like Andrei Dungo, who sprained his ankle in the first half, and Chris Hubilla, who also suffered an injury but immediately returned to the game, Lecciones remained focused on the task at hand.
“Siguro nagfocus lang po ako sa game and nagfocus din ako sa mga teammates ko,” shared Lecciones, who is averaging 9.58 points, 2.58 rebounds, 1.92 assists, 0.75 steals, and 0.17 blocks per game.
“Sayang po kasi kung matalo pa kami e nandito na din po kami kaya binigay na namin yung best namin.”
San Beda-Taytay managed to secure twice to beat advantage by beating San Sebastian (93-80), Mapua (86-75), and La Salle (83-77) in the playoffs. However, the road ahead will not be easy as the team faces La Salle again in the final four on Monday.
Despite their success, the 19-year-old Lecciones recognizes that the team still has a lot of improvements to make, particularly in defense and communication, as they prepare to defend their title.
“Paghahandaan pa din po namin sila [LSGH]. Marami pa din kaming lapses sa depensa and miscommunication sa kanila.”
