To begin Game 1 of the Best of Three Semifinals of the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball, both the Colegio de San Juan de Letrán and San Beda University strike first blood on December 2, 2025, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
Rookie Sensation Jonathan Manalili Surprises the Defense of the Altas
Playing in his very first Final Four game ever in his senior career, rookie sensation Jonathan “Titing” Manalili proved to be more than just a passer for the Letrán Knights.
For the first game at the Big Dome, the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA went up against the Knights, and sure enough, it didn’t disappoint fans.
The opening period immediately showcased Letran’s explosive start. Chad Gammad sparked the Knights with three straight three-pointers, while Titing Manalili added eight early points to counter the output of Perpetual’s John Abis and Mark Gojo Cruz.
Letran edged ahead 26–22 after the first, and momentum continued to build entering the second quarter.
Early in the next frame, the Knights strung together a decisive 11–0 burst, capped by a Deo Cuajao triple at the 7:12 mark, widening the gap and breaking open what had been a tight contest.
The run came shortly after an exchange of words between former Alta Jun Roque and Cruz, which resulted in double technical fouls but did little to derail Letran’s rhythm. By halftime, the Knights had buried seven of their 12 attempts from long range and surged to a commanding 50–36 advantage with their lead swelling to as large as 43–24 at one point.
Perpetual, however, refused to fade. The Altas opened the third quarter firing, with Patrick Sleat pouring in 11 points in the period to spearhead a 14–7 counterattack that trimmed the gap to 59–55 with just over three minutes left.
Letran steadied themselves through Manalili’s playmaking and timely transition baskets, restoring an eight-point separation, 64–56, entering the final quarter.
The fourth period developed into a tense back-and-forth duel. Nat Montecillo’s breakaway layup gave the Knights a 72–60 lead with under five minutes to go, but the Altas mounted yet another rally.
Abis scored inside, JM Tulabut completed a three-point play, and Sleat drilled another triple as Perpetual stormed back with an 8–0 run, slicing the difference to just four, 72–68.
But Perpetual remained within striking distance both Sleat and Cruz combined to go 3-of-4 at the line, cutting the deficit again to four.
In the final minute, attempts by Cruz and Sleat in the closing seconds missed their mark, and Estrada sealed the victory by sinking two free throws that restored a six-point cushion and ultimately secured the Game 1 win.
FINAL SCORE: LETRAN KNIGHTS 77 – 71 PERPETUAL ALTAS
Estrada and Manalili shared top-scoring honors for the Knights with 15 points each. Manalili, showing no signs of nerves in his first-ever collegiate game at the historic Araneta Coliseum, added eight assists, five rebounds, and six steals.
Gammad contributed 11 points, while Kevin Santos, Mark Omega, and Aaron Buensalida all chipped in valuable six-point outings inside despite battling foul trouble. Roque and Cuajao added needed sparks off the bench.
Perpetual, meanwhile, leaned on Sleat and Abis, who produced 21 and 20 points respectively. Sleat also tallied four rebounds and four assists, while Abis added nine boards and three steals. JP Boral chipped in 11 points, and Gojo Cruz finished with 10.
Miller and Sajonia Combined for 55 Points to Put Out the Blaze of Benilde
For the main attraction of Tuesday afternoon, the San Beda Red Lions faced off against the College of Saint Benilde.
But with the #1 defender of CSB Blazers, Raffy Celis, out for Game 1 due to a medical emergency, Head Coach Charles Tiu was in for a very tough challenge.
Benilde actually stayed within striking distance early, trailing only 22-19 after the opening frame despite collecting nine offensive rebounds. Sajonia sparked San Beda’s early rhythm with 10 quick points, steadying the Lions against the Blazers’ aggressiveness on the boards.
The tide shifted in the second quarter, however, as Miller, Yukien Andrada, and Nygel Gonzales combined to fuel a 26-point period that widened San Beda’s advantage to 48-37 entering halftime.
In the second half, San Beda pushed its cushion to 56-39 early in the third before Benilde mounted a brief push, with Tony Ynot trimming the lead to 63-53 late in the period.
Despite that effort, the Lions still held control entering the final quarter.
It was in the fourth period that Sajonia completely broke the game open. The veteran guard erupted for 11 unanswered points, drilling three consecutive three-point shots to create a towering 74-53 edge with 7:38 remaining. He later floated in another basket before letting Miller take command down the stretch.
The Filipino-American guard delivered a rare four-point play off a Josh Cajucom foul from beyond the arc to extend the lead to 80-59, and he punctuated the blowout with another long-range make as San Beda surged ahead by as many as 23.
FINAL SCORE: CSB BLAZERS: 72 – 91 SAN BEDA RED LIONS
Miller nearly matched his career-high with 29 points alongside nine boards while shooting efficiently, and Sajonia equaled his personal-best output with 26 points, five rebounds, and three assists on a scorching 5-of-8 clip from deep.
Together, they supplied 55 points and served as the offensive engine behind San Beda’s dominant shooting night, which featured 12 total triples on 42.9% accuracy.
Joe Celzo, Bismarck Lina, and Yukien Andrada provided the grit needed to contain reigning MVP Allen Liwag, who finished with only seven points on a rough 3-of-13 shooting night despite snagging 10 rebounds.
The Blazers relied heavily on Ian Torres and Shawn Umali with the absence of Raffy Celis and limited production from Liwag and Ynot. Torres led Benilde with 18 points, while Umali logged 13 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. Justine Sanchez contributed 11, but the rest of the squad struggled from long range, shooting a cold 4-of-24 from beyond the arc compared to San Beda’s barrage.
