By: Miguel Caramoan
Colegio de San Juan de Letran erased a 13-point second-half deficit to advance to the NCAA Season 101 Seniors Basketball finals with a thrilling 72-70 victory over the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The win marks the Knights’ return to the finals, where they last competed in Season 98, and sets them on course for their 21st championship.
“I’m thankful and grateful for this opportunity to lead the team in bringing back Letran, you know, to the Season 101 championship,” said Knights head coach Allen Ricardo.
Letran also completed a season sweep of the Altas, having previously defeated them in the crossover round and in their 77-73 Game 1 semifinal win. The Knights continue to ride a hot streak, now at six consecutive victories.
“It’s the three things: know your purpose, know your impact, and know your consequence. On and off the court ‘yan, lagi ko rineremind sa kanila every now and then. We need to live with our purpose, consequence, and impact in life,” said Ricardo.
Jonathan Manalili had another standout performance with a double-double of 16 points and 14 assists. His backcourt partner Jimboy Estrada added 11 points and four steals, including a clutch three-pointer that gave Letran the lead at 72-70 with 1:41 remaining.
The Knights now await the Game 3 rubber match between the San Beda Red Lions and the Benilde Blazers on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, with Game 1 of the finals set for December 10 at the same venue.
After holding a slim 18-15 lead in the first quarter, Letran was outscored 49-36 in the middle quarters, allowing Perpetual to build a sizable double-digit advantage of 64-54 after 30 minutes.
The Altas’ largest lead came at the 2:04 mark of the third quarter, when a Josiah Alcantara triple made it 64-51. Patrick Sleat paced the Perpetual offense with 15 first-half points.
But the Knights’ defense came alive in the fourth quarter, limiting Perpetual to just six points in the final period.
When Mark Gojo Cruz’s layup put the Altas ahead 70-64 with 4:24 remaining, it proved to be their last field goal.
Letran then went on a decisive 10-0 run to seal the victory, with Manalili scoring and assisting on all points in that stretch, complemented by Jun Roque’s free throws.
Despite the loss, Perpetual capped off a strong Season 101, finishing as the top seed in Group A and ending a four-year Final Four drought.
Sleat led the Altas with 17 points but managed only two in the second half. Gojo Cruz added 15 points, while graduating star Abis contributed 10 markers.
The Scores:
Letran 74 – Manalili 16, Estrada 11, Roque 9, Cuajao 9, Omega 7, Buensalida 7, Santos 6, Gammad 5, Tapenio 4, Montecillo 0
Perpetual 70 – Sleat 17, Gojo Cruz 15, Abis 10, Orgo 7, Nunez 6, Boral 5, Tulabut 3, Alcantara 3, Casinillo 2, Maglupay 2
Quarterscores: 18-15, 39-42, 54-64, 74-70
