By: Kim Yoshi Espiritu
Mapua's Hubilla (#72) and Letran's Javillonar (#9) side by side during the intense Battle of Intramuros in NCAA Season 100 at FilOil EcoOil Centre. Photo credit to William Tulagan, The LANCE.
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights fell to their Intramuros-rivals in the 20th game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, 62-77, on Friday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
Johnsherick “Jimboy” Estrada poured in 19 markers, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists — almost a double-double game that placed the team below .500 winning percentage.
With both squads coming in hot after career-best games from their respective captains, the Letran Knights and Mapua Cardinals clashed in highly-competitive spirits bearing redemption in their mentality.
The cagers in red bolstered a small-ball company against Letran. Despite the height advantage, they managed to sneak transition points translating to an 8-14 lead in the first frame.
The seasoned leader, Paolo Javillonar, who has played his second game after serving a two-game suspension, channeled his shooting touch, surprising the crowd with trifecta being the sole carrier for his squad.
Efforts against Mapua’s perimeter-based defense had no effect and clearly put the Knights’ play on a chokehold, resulting in an eight-point scoring spree off 7 turnovers. The first half ended in favor of the Cardinals, 20-24.
Determined to correct his shooting mishaps, Jimboy takes the spotlight by rushing a chase down on the defensive end. He waxed hot on his specialty zone — isolating opponents from within the perimeter and knocking down 17 points in the second half.
With minimal pressure under their belts, the other Muralla-based team very much controlled the game with their defensive tactics and took a 15 point cushion by the final buzzer.
Coach Randy Alcantara’s use of Chris Hubilla benefited greatly from the pace of this match, producing a strong double-double performance of 18 markers and 12 boards. On the other hand, rookie-MVP Clint Escamis executed a well-rounded 12 points, 6 dimes, and 5 rebounds.
This outing proved Letran’s missing championship expertise in crunch moments as compared to their previous winning seasons, where the team has entered the rebuilding phase this recent summer and is still eyeing improvement in many facets of the game.
The Letran Knights will continue faring in this tournament, locking horns with the College of St. Benilde Blazers on Sunday, September 22, 2024 at the same arena.
QUARTER SCORES: 8-14, 28-38, 40-55, 62-77
LETRAN (62) — Estrada 19, Javillonar 11, Montecillo 9, Cuajao 7, Monje 4, Dimaano 3, Go 3, Jumao-as 3, Delfino 2, Miller 1, Baliling 0, Nunag 0, Pradella 0, Santos 0, Tagotongan 0
MAPUA (77) — Hubilla 18, Cuenco 13, Mangubat 13, Escamis 12, Recto 8, Bancale 7, Jabonete 4, Concepcion 2, Agemenyi 0, Igliane 0, Pantaleon 0, Ryan 0