On the final day of the elimination round of the NCAA Season 101 Men’s Basketball tournament, both the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA and Colegio de San Juan de Letrán gained winning momentum at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan City as they head into the playoffs next week.
Perpetual Altas Makes History in Season 101
With this game being literally a no-bearing match for them, the Perpetual Altas, led by John Abis and Mark Gojo Cruz, made sure that there wouldn’t be any losing vibes as they take a rest and prepare for the quarterfinals next week.
The Altas have already secured a Twice to Beat Advantage and will wait for the winner of Emilio Aguinaldo College versus the Jose Rizal University.
But first, they had to take care of business against the Lyceum of the Philippines this Sunday afternoon.
Perpetual wasted no time asserting control, opening the game with an 8-0 burst and locking in a 21-9 advantage after the first quarter.
Their defensive pressure and steady ball movement kept the Pirates from finding a rhythm early on, allowing the ALTAs to maintain a double-digit lead, 37-27, heading into halftime. Mark Gojo Cruz, who helped steer the offense early, posted six points by the break as Perpetual continued to dictate the tempo.
The ALTAs tightened their grip in the third quarter. A strong sequence that included a three-point play from John Abis and a corner triple from LA Casinillo widened the gap to 51-36. JP Boral later knocked down a jumper to end the period with Perpetual holding a commanding 61-42 cushion. Their continued defensive pressure limited LPU’s options, and the Pirates never threatened a comeback.
Perpetual’s depth shone throughout the contest.
Head coach Olsen Racela was able to rotate heavily in the final quarter, giving opportunities to multiple players while preserving their large lead.
Key baskets from Kenji Duremdes and JM Tulabut helped push the margin to 70-47 with under six minutes left, effectively sealing the outcome before the closing buzzer.
FINAL SCORE: LPU PIRATES 57 – 72 PERPETUAL ALTAS
The result not only ended their slump but also cemented Perpetual’s position as the top seed in Group A with a 9-4 record, marking the school’s first elimination-round finish at No. 1 since 2004.
Gojo Cruz led Perpetual with 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists earning the Best Player of the Game Awards. Abis, Boral, and Tulabut each finished with nine points as part of a balanced attack that overwhelmed the Pirates.
Perpetual now prepares for the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the JRU–EAC play-in matchup.
Their quarterfinal game is scheduled for Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena, where the ALTAs will carry a twice-to-beat advantage.
LPU ended the elimination round with a 3-10 record and will enter a do-or-die play-in game against the San Sebastian Golden Stags on Tuesday, with their season on the line.
Titing Manalili Overwhelms San Beda and Outduels Agjanti Miller
Another chapter for the century-old rivalry has been added as the Colegio de San Juan de Letran battled the San Beda University.
Despite both teams already assured in the Playoffs, neither one of them wanted to rest their star players as they went all out in their last game of the elimination round.
The game opened with San Beda’s Janti Miller immediately asserting himself, firing 10 quick points to give the Red Lions early momentum. But Letran countered with efficient outside shooting, taking a 26-21 lead after the first quarter. San Beda recovered in the second period through a decisive 10-0 run, punctuated by a Jimmy Reyes triple that moved them ahead 35-33.
They kept that surge going into halftime, walking into the locker room with a 49-46 advantage.
San Beda continued to dictate the pace in the third quarter as Miller’s free throws pushed their lead up to 65-52.
Just when it seemed like the Red Lions were ready to break away, Letran punched back with an 8-0 run to close the quarter, tying the game at 70 and setting up a tight final period.
The fourth quarter turned into a series of momentum swings.
Letran briefly regained control behind shots from Jun Roque and crucial defensive stops, taking a 78-73 advantage after consecutive long-range hits from Jonathan “Titing” Manalili and Deo Cuajao. But Miller kept San Beda within striking distance, scoring 10 points in the final six minutes and trimming the gap to 82-81 with just over two minutes left.
Manalili, however, seized the moment. The rookie guard delivered four straight points to restore Letran’s cushion, then added another key basket that made it 86-81 entering the final 41 seconds.
A late review converted Miller’s three-point attempt into a long two, leaving San Beda behind 86-83 with only nine seconds remaining. The Red Lions still had a chance to force a dramatic finish, but Nygel Gonzales committed a turnover on the inbound. Manalili then split his final free throws to secure the Letran victory.
FINAL SCORE: LETRAN KNIGHTS 87 – 83 SAN BEDA RED LIONS
Manalili capped off a brilliant evening with a standout double-double of 26 points and 11 assists while shooting 60 percent from the field. Kevin Santos backed him up with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting, along with five rebounds. Jun Roque and Deo Cuajao provided additional support with 10 points apiece.
Letran concluded the eliminations with an 8-5 record and now prepares for a twice-to-win quarterfinal challenge against the Arellano Chiefs on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
San Beda, despite playing without key contributors Jomel Puno and Bryan Sajonia, still finished as the top seed in Group B with a 9-4 record.
Miller’s career-high 34 points along with five rebounds led the Red Lions, while Jimuel Reyes contributed 12 markers.
Despite ending their last game with a loss, the Red Lions will wait to face the winner between the LPU Pirates and San Sebastian Golden Stags in their own quarterfinal match scheduled on Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
