The Letran Knights returned to the win column after defeating the Lyceum Pirates, 96-86, in the NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday evening.
The two teams battled closely in the opening period, with Letran holding only a 22-20 advantage after the first 10 minutes. Last year’s runners-up then found their rhythm in the second quarter, closing the half with a 10-0 run to create separation.
Titing Manalili spearheaded the surge, scoring 12 points in the second period as Letran pulled away to a 53-43 halftime lead.
The Knights carried that momentum into the third quarter as Manalili, Jimboy Estrada, and Denzil Sison-Walker continued to punish the Pirates offensively.
Letran outscored Lyceum, 23-12, in the third period to enter the final quarter with a commanding 76-55 advantage.
Lyceum Mounts Late Comeback
Lyceum refused to surrender despite trailing by 21 points.
The Pirates opened the fourth quarter with a strong 12-3 run, taking advantage of Letran’s offensive struggles and eventually cutting the deficit to 85-76 with 2:59 remaining.
Matthew Rubico led the late charge for Lyceum, scoring 7 points during an 8-3 run that gave the Pirates hope of completing the comeback.
However, Letran responded just when it needed to.
Kevin Santos and Justin Cargo came through with back-to-back baskets to restore the Knights’ double-digit cushion at 89-76 with 2:19 remaining.
Letran’s Manalili Leaves With Late Injury
The Knights’ victory came with a major concern in the closing minutes when Manalili suffered an awkward fall with 1:55 remaining.
Manalili drove toward the basket and got high up for a lay-in before landing hard and clutching his right knee. He was eventually helped off the court and did not return to the game.
Despite his early exit, Manalili finished with a double-double of 23 points and 12 assists, playing a major role in Letran’s offensive surge.
Estrada led all scorers with 25 points on an efficient shooting night that included four three-pointers, while Sison-Walker added 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Chad Gammad contributed 12 points.
Gammad later helped seal the victory from the free-throw line after Nath Fuentes was called for a foul, putting the Pirates’ comeback bid to rest.
Knights Bouncing Back
After the win, Sison-Walker emphasized how important the victory was for the Knights following their consecutive defeats.
“This win is really important for our team morale,” Sison-Walker said. “We didn’t want to dwell on our previous losses, but we also couldn’t ignore the fact that we lost back-to-back. It was crucial that we got the win today.”
Rubico paced Lyceum with 21 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals, while Roger Ondoa finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds.
The victory moved Letran to 4-2 and back into the Group B lead, while Lyceum fell to 1-5 after its fourth straight loss.
