By: Jerod Orcullo
Colegio de San Juan de Letran and La Salle Green Hills pulled off crucial victories against their respective opponents, both improving to a 3-2 record in the NCAA Season 100 Juniors Basketball Tournament on Monday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The Squires put on a shooting clinic in a dominant 73-54 win over the EAC-ICA Brigadiers, securing their third victory of the tournament. Meanwhile, the Greenies bounced back from their heartbreaking overtime loss to Letran last Tuesday, March 4, with a statement win over the San Beda-Rizal Red Cubs, 78-65.
Letran, the defending champions, caught fire from beyond the arc, converting at a 32.3% clip while holding the Brigadiers to just one three-pointer on 13 attempts and a dismal 28.8% shooting from the field.
Leading the charge for the Squires was senior Daniel Padilla, who poured in 17 points. Syrex Silorio contributed 12 points and eight rebounds, while Jhuniel Dela Rama notched another double-double with 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
EAC came out swinging, launching a 15-6 run late in the opening quarter to take a narrow 17-14 lead. However, Letran responded by tightening up on defense and executing efficiently on the offensive end, outscoring the Generals 21-14 in the second period to seize control by halftime.
“Kailangan namin i-prioritize yung defense, dun kami nawawala parati. Iniintindi lang namin yung shoot lang, kaya ang ano naman parati is yung team defense,” said Squires mentor Willie Miller.
Despite EAC’s efforts to rally, Letran never wavered, extending its lead to as many as 21 points, 67-46, with 5:50 remaining after an Adrian Quiñones triple.
In the following game, LSGH made sure to reassert itself in the tournament with a commanding performance against San Beda.
After erupting for a career-high 33 points in his previous outing, Guillian Quines delivered once again with an efficient 22-point performance, adding six steals, five rebounds, and four assists.
With team captain James Ison struggling from the field and finishing with just two points, fellow seniors Gian Gomez and Arle Podador stepped up, scoring 16 and 14 points, respectively.
Both teams entered the contest looking to bounce back after suffering tough losses—San Beda fell in a hard-fought 69-71 defeat to Malayan High School, while La Salle was reeling from its overtime setback against Letran.
That sense of urgency showed in the first half as the Greenies and Red Cubs traded baskets, with San Beda holding a slim two-point edge, 38-36, at the break.
However, La Salle came out firing in the third quarter, overwhelming San Beda with a relentless offensive surge. The Greenies outscored the Red Cubs 25-13 in the period, seizing full control of the game.
San Beda attempted to mount a comeback, but its shots continued to misfire, allowing La Salle to widen the gap to as much as 78-60 near the final horn.
For EAC, EJ Castillo led the way with 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Kelly Coronel chipped in 11 points and five boards, while Ian Cuajao—who had been averaging 22.5 points per game—was limited to just seven points on 2-of-9 shooting.
On the Red Cubs’ side, MJ Vailoces tallied 18 points and eight rebounds but struggled with ball security, committing seven of San Beda’s 24 turnovers. Francis Dollente nearly posted a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
The Scores:
First Game
CSJL 73 – Padilla 17, Silorio 12, Dela Rama 11, Quijada 8, Alforque 7, Quinones 6, Cargo 5, Valdeavilla 3, Lumague 2, Magcale 2, Cruz 0, Hugo 0, Villanueva 0, Danan 0, Paguio 0.
EAC-ICA 54 – Castillo 18, Coronel 11, Cuajao 7, Razo 7, Luna 6, Bonus 2, Bautista 2, Lanceta 1, Campana 0, Lumbo 0, Tecson 0, Taganas 0, Castillo 0, Iraham 0, Canonigo 0.
Quarterscores: 14-17, 35-29, 59-46, 73-54.
Second Game
LSGH 78 – Quines 22, Gomez 16, Podador 14, Ortega 8, Abad 6, Osis 6, Sharma 2, Ison 2, Yutuc 2, Peralta 0, Hizon 0, Gonzales 0, Hachuela 0, Torres 0, Tud 0.
SBU 65 – Vailoces 15, Dollente 10, Garcia 8, Winters 7, Wagan 6, Batongbakal 4, San Juan 4, Ugaddan 3, Reroma 3, Tauber 2, Feliciano 2, Medroso 1, Agbayani 0.
Quarterscores: 16-15, 36-38, 61-51, 78-65.
