Rookie Denzil Walker made the most of his debut, and Titing Manalili made the most of limited minutes, as Season 101 runners-up Letran Knights held off the Perpetual Help Altas, 84-77, on the opening day of the NCAA Season 102 Seniors Basketball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Walker led all scorers with 21 points and 2 steals in his seniors debut, while Jimboy Estrada added 18 points, 4 rebouns, and 6 assists. Kevin Santos chipped in 15 points and 8 rebounds. Manalili, hampered after picking up his fourth foul with 5:02 left in the third quarter, still managed 12 points and 8 assists in just 21 minutes, delivering key baskets down the stretch.
“We’re trying to process this and trying to get better one game at a time,” Letran coach Allen Ricardo said, crediting his team’s defensive pressure despite a small lineup.
Perpetual Threatens, Letran Responds
Perpetual trailed by 10 in the second quarter before rallying within two at halftime, 38-36. Letran pulled ahead 59-55 after three, then survived a late scare when Jan Pagulayan’s three tied it at 74 with two minutes left. Letran answered with seven straight points, capped by a Manalili layup, before Pagulayan’s second three cut it to 81-77. Gelo Gelsano missed a potential game-tightening jumper, and Santos sealed it from the line.
Pagulayan led Perpetual with 18 points and 6 rebounds, with Gelsano and LA Casinillo adding 11 apiece. The two teams’ last meeting came in December’s semifinals, when Letran swept Perpetual en route to a runner-up finish, a reversal of their first meeting last season, which the Altas won, 75-65.
Letran faces the San Sebastian Stags on September 18, while Perpetual seeks its first win against the EAC Generals on September 17, both at Playtime FilOil Centre.
