The final game of the week in the NCAA Season 101 Men’s Basketball Tournament took place on November 8 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, just before the November 9 and 11 cancellations brought about by Super Typhoon Uwan.
Jimboy Estrada and Kevin Santos Completes Letrán’s Revenge Game
The match day began with teams from the Group of Death or Group B facing each other one last time.
Colegio de San Juan de Letrán was defeated by Jose Rizal University in their first meeting.
JRU was also fresh from their victory last November 5 all thanks to the game winner by Ivan Panapanaan.
The Heavy Bombers started strong behind their sharp shooting from the perimeter, with Sean Salvador drilling a three-pointer to give JRU a 17-11 advantage late in the first quarter.
But the Knights quickly found their footing and countered with a scorching 12-0 run to close the opening frame ahead, 23-17.
In the second quarter, JRU’s Shawn Argente tried to keep his team afloat, scoring 11 of his 14 first-half points in that period. However, Letran’s bench came alive, with Jimboy Estrada and Kevin Santos leading the charge alongside contributions from Mark Omega and Jun Roque.
The frontcourt tandem of Santos and Omega dominated inside, helping Letran extend its advantage heading into halftime.
Photo Credits: GMA News TV and NCAA
By the third quarter, the Knights continued to control the pace. Estrada, who came off the bench, rediscovered his offensive rhythm and delivered key baskets to keep Letran ahead. The Heavy Bombers, however, began to claw back behind the efforts of Harry Herrera and Allan Laurenaria, slightly trimming the deficit after taking the third frame, 17-14.
JRU showed signs of life early in the final quarter as Salvador sank two free throws to bring them within eight, 65-57.
Yet, the Knights responded immediately. Two steals from Deo Cuajao and Jonathan Manalili led to easy transition baskets, and Aaron Buensalida capped the sequence with a reverse layup that widened the gap to 72-57 with just over six minutes remaining.
From there, the Knights never looked back. Santos drained a mid-range jumper over Ivan Panapanaan’s defense, and Roque buried a corner three-pointer off a Manalili assist to push the lead to 78-61, a margin that effectively sealed the deal for Letran.
Photo Credits: GMA News TV and NCAA
FINAL SCORE: JRU HEAVY BOMBERS 71 – 85 LETRÁN KNIGHTS
Estrada spearheaded the Knights’ offense with 20 points on 60% shooting, alongside three rebounds and three assists. Santos nearly posted a perfect outing with 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting, adding seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Manalili orchestrated the offense masterfully, tallying 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists. Roque contributed 8 markers, while Cuajao and Omega chipped in 7 each.
The Knights will next face their longtime rival, the San Beda Red Lions, on Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
For JRU, five players reached double digits, led by Argente with 16 points, followed by Herrera with 14. Salvador, Laurenaria, and Garupil each contributed 11 markers, though their combined effort was not enough to keep pace with Letran’s second-half surge. The rest of the Heavy Bombers managed only 6 points in total.
JRU will aim to regroup when they face the EAC Generals on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Rookie Jhuniel Dela Rama Goes Clutch to Defeat #1 Perpetual
The 2nd to the last team in Group A, San Sebastian Golden Stags played the #1 seed University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.
The ALTAs also now have the “Twice to Beat Advantage” moving into the next round.
The game began with both teams trading baskets, with Perpetual managing to hold the largest lead of just six points in a tightly contested opening half. The Stags struggled early but found their rhythm after halftime, spearheaded by the efforts of Christian Ricio and Dela Rama.
Photo Credits: Synergy: A GMA Collaboration
Ricio, 22, ignited San Sebastian’s rally, scoring 13 of his 17 total points in the second half while also tallying four rebounds and three assists. His aggressiveness on both ends of the floor allowed the Stags to stay within striking distance.
In the fourth quarter, the momentum fully shifted when back-to-back baskets from Ricio and Ralph Gabat gave San Sebastian a 56-51 advantage with just over five minutes remaining. The Altas, led by their veteran core, attempted to regain control, but the Stags refused to fold.
With the game hanging in the balance, Dela Rama took over in the clutch.
Photo Credits: Synergy: A GMA Collaboration
The freshman standout first buried a triple to keep San Sebastian in front, then followed it up with another dagger from beyond the arc which was his second of the night to give the Stags a 62-58 cushion with just 51 seconds left on the clock.
Perpetual’s John Boral responded by knocking down a three-pointer of his own, trimming the lead to a single point.
However, the Golden Stags clamped down defensively during the final possession, denying the Altas any clean look at the basket as time expired.
FINAL SCORE: PERPETUAL ALTAs 61 – 62 SAN SEBASTIAN GOLDEN STAGS
Dela Rama capped the night with an impressive 15 points and 10 rebounds, recording a crucial double-double performance that underscored his growing poise under pressure. Gabat contributed nine points on an efficient 80% shooting clip, complementing Ricio’s second-half heroics.
The win marked San Sebastian’s second straight victory, a significant turnaround after their early-season struggles.
The team will aim to sustain its momentum when it faces the Arellano Chiefs on Wednesday, also at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Meanwhile, the Perpetual Altas, despite the setback, remain the team to beat in Group A with their 8-2 record. They will look to bounce back quickly when they go up against the LPU Pirates on Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
