Letran forces NCAA assist leader Nelle to score

Evan Nelle erupted for 20 points for San Beda during Game One of the NCAA Season 95 Seniors Basketball Finals. 

However, it did not end with a win, as the Red Lions bowed to arch-rivals Letran Knights, 64-65.

And it’s because the 5-foot-11 floor general only had one assist after averaging 6.7 dimes during the elimination round.

According to Letran floor general Fran Yu, head coach Bonnie Tan made it a point to clog the passing lanes of San Beda to force Nelle to score.

“Sabi nga ni coach Bonnie, kahit sino pa depensahan mo, kahit NBA player itapat mo sa kanila, makaka-score at makaka score sila,” said Yu after the game.

“Kahit maka-score si Evan ng twenty pataas, basta panalo kami okay na ‘yun.”

But it was not just Yu who struggled, as the entire San Beda team blanked. After norming 19 assists per game during the elims, the Red Lions were held down to just 10.

And this is one of the things San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez will look at when they go back to the drawing board.

“We will discuss it tomorrow. We only had ten assists, but we are the number one team during the elimination round with nineteen,” he said.

“Credit to Letran for doing a good job on that.”