STEP UP. Fran Yu drained timely buckets to lift Letran past EAC as he fired a career-high 13 points in only six minutes of play. Photo by Abegail Granado.
With most of their starters misfiring, the Letran Knights relied on their reserves as they outlast the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 91-82, sweeping their NCAA Season 92 match-up, Tuesday, at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
The troika of Jeremiah Taladua, Koy Galvelo, and Fran Yu heated-up in different quarters, to give Letran a timely boost in the match.
Galvelo fired 12 of his 15 points for the Knights in the first half of the game to hand Letran a four-point cushion. Taladua, meanwhile, sparked a run and gave the Knights a 19-point lead in the third quarter while Yu drained timely three-pointers in the fourth quarter to weather EAC’s late-game surge led by Jerome Garcia and Hamadou Laminou.
“Struggling ‘yung dalawa pero marami silang ginagawa na hindi nakikita ng stats,” said Napa, as the graduating duo of Quinto and Calvo combined for only 13 points on a disappoint 4-of-24 shooting.
“Siguro, yung offense ang nawala sa kanila pero confident ako na may nagste-step up sa kanila. Pero itong tatlo na ito, instant offense,” he added, as Taladua, Galvelo, and Yu collaborated for 43 points.
Letran’s bench scored 44 points, surpassing their previous high of 17, while also dishing out a season-high 25 assists. In addition, the Knights outrebounded the number one rebounding team in the league, 44-36.
Jeremiah Taladua led the attack with 15 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Koy Galvelo fired a career-high 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field while Fran Yu, who scored his own career-best, chipped in 13 points on six minutes of play to tighten Letran’s grip on the third spot with a 9-4 standing.
EAC, meanwhile, were led by Garcia with 20 points and three assists while Laminou’s double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds went down the drain as the Generals slide to a 2-11 card.
The Knights will battle the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers on Friday, 4 p.m., at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
The scores:
CSJL (91) – Taladua 15, Galvelo 15, Yu 13, Ambohot 10, Muyang 9, Quinto 8, Fajarito 8, Calvo 5, Celis 5, Mandreza 2, Agbong 1, Balagasay 0, Pambid 0, Banez 0.
EAC (82) – Garcia 20, Laminou 16, Maguliano 16, Tampoc 11, Bugarin 6, Corilla 5, Neri 3, Mendoza 3, Cadua 2, Natividad 0, Gonzales 0.
Quarterscores: 18-15, 36-32, 67-54, 91-82.