By: Aianna Xyril Monsod
Photo by: Ram Christian Campos
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran concluded their 100th NCAA men's basketball season with a 65-67 defeat against Arellano University on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Kobe Monje ignited the Knights' offense, dropping a career-high 24 points on a blistering 64% shooting and grabbed three rebounds. Nathan Montecillo and Paolo Javillonar provided solid support, each contributing 11 points. Montecillo dished out three assists and hauled six rebounds, while Javillonar was perfect from the field, going 4-for-4 and secured eight rebounds.
The Knights found themselves in an early hole, trailing 0-5, but Monje fueled the team’s scoring, making the first basket and went on to score nine consecutive points. He also hit two three-pointers during this period, accounting for most of the team's first-quarter points. Despite Monje's hot start, the Chiefs responded with a balanced scoring attack, ending the frame with a one point lead, 17-16.
Letran gained rhythm toward the second canto, with Javillonar and Jimboy Estrada contributing points. A three-pointer by Montecillo with 42 seconds left in the quarter pushed the lead to double digits. Monje capped off a strong half for the squad with a steal and layup, as they led 40-28 at halftime.
Arellano, though out of contention, played with intensity and stormed back in the second half to derail the Muralla-based team's semifinal hopes. The former’s big man JL Capulong spearheaded the comeback, scoring several tough shots and free throws to erase the 12-point deficit and regain the edge in the final frame.
With two minutes remaining in the game, Knight's Javillonar, in his final collegiate game, tied the score at 63-all. However, a series of critical plays swung the momentum in Arellano's favor. A costly turnover by Estrada and a foul on Maverick Vinoya allowed the Chiefs to seize the advantage. While Monje briefly reclaimed the lead with two clutch free throws, Basti Valencia's timely basket with 18 seconds left put the Knights in a difficult position. Despite a desperate three-point attempt by Montecillo in the closing seconds, Letran's season came to an end.
Arellano’s center Capulong dominated their boards, tallying 13 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block. He was backed by Vinoya, who contributed nine points, three rebounds, and an assist, along with Valencia having eight points, three rebounds, and two steals.
In an interview with The LANCE, Knights' veteran Monje expressed his heartbreak over the team's defeat, especially as it marked the end of his NCAA career.
"Sobrang sakit sa part ko kasi last play ko na. Gusto ko sana bumawi sa last season kasi ‘di kami nakapasok sa Final Four,” he stated.
Jace Miller shared the same sentiment over the failure but also voiced gratitude for the opportunity to play for Letran.
“It's a tough loss, nobody likes to lose. But it was a good experience and good season overall,” the Fil-Am guard added.
Meanwhile, Javillonar, who initially planned to finish his collegiate basketball journey after last season but decided to return, said he had no regrets.
“Gusto ko bumawi rin talaga eh. Sila (Letran) nagbigay sa akin ng opportunity para makapaglaro, ‘yun din ang binabalik ko sa kanila… kumbaga pasasalamat ko rin sa Letran,” the team captain said.
Letran finished the season with an 8-10 record, a significant improvement from their previous year's two-win season. While they missed the semifinals again, the Knights showed progress and promise, pulling off upsets against the league-leading De La Salle-College of St. Benilde and breaking a two-year losing streak against San Beda University.
QUARTER SCORES: 16-17, 40-28, 54-51, 65-67
LETRAN (65) - Monje 24, Javillonar 11, Montecillo 11, Estrada 10, Miller 5, Nunag 2, Santos 2, Cuajao 0, Dimaano 0, Jumao-as 0.
AU (67) - Capulong 13, Vinoya 9, Valencia 8, Camay 7, Hernal 7, Geronimo 6, De Leon 4, Borromeo 4, Libang 4, Abiera 3, Miller 2, Flores 0, Ongotan 0.