By: Aianna Xyril Monsod
Photo courtesy of Augusto Urbano II / The LANCE
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights erased deficit after deficit to topple the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 82–73, on November 16 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre, strengthening their grip on the third seed in Group B of the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.
June Roque paced the Knights with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Chad Gammad chipped in 11 points and three rebounds, while Deo Cuajao added 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Kevin Santos also scored 10 points with five boards.
The Knights struggled to generate offense as the Generals slowly built momentum in an eight-minute grind of a first quarter, capitalizing on the former’s early foul troubles. EAC’s Jude Bagay, EJ Castillo, and Aldeo Lucero powered the decisive run that stretched the lead to double digits. While Letran leaned on Titing Manalili, who scored twice late to cut the deficit to nine, along with a lone free throw from Mark Omega to stay within reach before the period ended at 11–19.
Letran stormed back into the game in the second frame behind a spark from Cuajao and Jimboy Estrada, narrowing the margin to as little as three. A momentum-shifting stretch from Nat Montecillo, including a three-pointer, briefly pushed the Knights ahead, followed by a Cuajao fastbreak that handed them their first lead at 27–26.
Roque and Manalili then powered another surge, building a four-point cushion in the final minute. Although Wilmar Oftana buried a late three for the Generals, the Knights still carried a slim 38–37 advantage into halftime.
EAC threatened to break the game open early in the third as Letran’s turnovers piled up, allowing the former to repeatedly score behind red-hot Castillo’s scoring explosion. Although Manalili briefly gave Letran life with a counter-steal that led to a Roque basket and a technical free throw, EAC quickly regained control, capitalizing on the Knights’ errors to build a double-digit lead at 55–45.
Momentum shifted when Montecillo, Cuajao, Omega, and Estrada injected fresh energy into Letran’s lineup. Cuajao buried a three, Omega scored inside, and Montecillo set up another Cuajao basket to cut the deficit to just two at 57–59.
Estrada’s hustle helped keep possessions alive, while Santos then drilled a tough jumper to keep the Knights close, but the Generals closed the quarter with steady trips to the line, preserving a 63–59 lead heading into the fourth.
The final quarter saw Letran surge ahead thanks to Gammad’s timely scoring, hitting two crucial three-pointers that turned the tight contest into a six-point lead at 73–67, giving them a big advantage. Despite EAC’s Lucero late attempts to close the gap, Roque’s steady baskets and the team’s solid defense kept the Generals at bay, with the Knights ultimately sealing the 82–73 victory.
EAC relied heavily on Castillo’s all-around brilliance, as he poured in 23 points while also contributing five assists, four rebounds, and four steals. Bagay added 13 points with support on the boards and in transition, while Lucero chipped in 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Letran looks ahead of their rescheduled matchup with San Beda University on November 23. With a 7–5 record and the third seed in Group B, every possession counts as the Knights fight to maintain a strong hold on playoff contention.
THE SCORES: 11-19, 38-37, 59-63, 82-73
CSJL (82) - Roque 15, Gammad 11, Cuajao 10, Santos 10, Manalili 9, Estrada 9, Omega 9, Montecillo 7, Gazzingan 2, Buensalida 0,Tapenio 0.
EAC (73) - Castillo 23, Bagay 13, Lucero 12, Shanoda 7, Angeles 5, Omandac 4, Loristo 4, Oftana 3, Quinal 2, Ochavo 0.