Colegio de San Juan de Letran caught fire from beyond the arc to overwhelm Arellano University, 91-77, and extend its winning streak to four games in the NCAA Season 102 Seniors Basketball Tournament on Thursday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Having completed a sweep of the Chiefs in the elimination round, the Knights now own the longest active winning streak in the NCAA.
Already assured of a quarterfinal berth, Letran further strengthened its hold on the top spot in Group B, improving to an 8-3 record. The Knights also became the first team this season to clinch a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
“Sabi ko lang naman sa kanila, unahin muna natin ‘yung depensa natin and everything will be easy for us. Mentality namin ngayon, turn defense into offense,” said head coach Allen Ricardo.
After a slow start, the Knights closed the first quarter with a 25-19 lead, courtesy of a Justin Cargo jumper and a Chad Gammad triple in the final minute of the opening period.
From there, Letran began to pull away as multiple players caught fire from deep, unleashing a barrage of three-pointers against the Chiefs. The Knights broke the game open with a 22-4 run, highlighted by five consecutive triples.
By halftime, Letran had built a commanding 23-point lead after shooting an impressive nine-of-14 from beyond the arc, with Jimboy Estrada, Cargo, and Aaron Buensalida all scoring in double figures.
Despite the sizeable deficit, Arellano refused to go down without a fight, mounting a rally in the second half to cut into the lead.
Taking advantage of Letran’s foul trouble in the third quarter, the Chiefs trimmed the deficit to 78-68 with an 8-0 run, highlighted by seven points from Renzo Abiera.
The Knights quickly put an end to Arellano’s rally, however, answering with a 13-0 run of their own behind Estrada’s hot shooting.
After restoring their 20-point cushion, Letran cruised through the closing minutes to secure its fourth consecutive victory.
“Sa’kin naman, individually pina-practice ko naman ‘yan. Kumbaga, credits na lang din sa teammates ko kasi ‘di ko makukuha ‘yung mga puntos na ganun kung di kami dumepensa ng todo,” said Estrada, who finished with 25 points and two rebounds.
The 23-year-old guard from St. Clare had an excellent shooting night, converting 10-of-14 attempts from the field, including five of his eight three-point attempts.
Five other Knights also scored in double figures. Cargo finished with 15 points, while Gammad added 15. Buensalida, Kevin Santos, and Denzil Walker chipped in 10 points apiece.
As a team, Letran shot 53.8 percent from the field and knocked down 14 of its 32 attempts from beyond the arc.
Arellano, meanwhile, struggled from deep, making just two of its 22 three-point attempts. The Chiefs also had difficulty facilitating their offense, recording just nine assists as a team.
The Knights will look to sustain their momentum when they face the EAC Generals next Thursday, November 5, at 3 p.m. at the same venue.
Arellano, meanwhile, remains in second place in Group B despite slipping to a 5-6 record. The Chiefs have lost six of their last seven games and are currently riding a three-game losing streak.
Abiera paced Arellano with 20 points, while King Vinoya added 12 and Ernest Geronimo contributed 11.
The Chiefs will look to get back on track against the San Sebastian Stags on Tuesday, November 3, at 3 p.m. at the same venue.
The Scores:
Letran 91 – Estrada 25, Cargo 15, Gammad 12, Santos 10, Sison-Walker 10, Buensalida 10, Reyes 6, Valdeavilla 2, Diamante 1, Montecillo 0, Hugo 0, Muyuela 0, Villanueva 0.
Arellano 77 – Abiera 20, Vinoya 12, Geronimo 11, Ongotan 9, Valencia 6, Hernal 6, Buenaventura 5, Cabotaje 4, Camay 4, Flores 0, Borromeo 0, Anama 0, Langit 0, Manansala 0.
Quarterscores: 25-19, 58-35, 70-56, 91-77.
