Deo Cuajao sets up Letran's defense after scoring a bucket against EAC Generals. Photo by Julia Iris Eguillano | The LANCE
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights emerged victorious for the first time this season as they collided with the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 84-80, in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament earlier today held at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The victory was sweeter, especially threading the needle of a 0-3 slate at the start of the season. The shorthanded Letran was never short in their belief that today was their moment to turn things around.
Deo Cuajao sparked for the Knights and looked motivated after seeing his younger brother from SSCR Golden Stags, Ian Cuajao, drop an impeccable performance in the same hardwood. The sharpshooter hailing from midsayap finally caught his rhythm in this game and logged 23 markers, two boards, two dimes, and a pair of rejections.
Jonathan Manalili maintained his composure from the previous crucial game and made his presence felt with a double-double performance of 12 points, 13 assists, six rebounds, and four steals.
Manalili got active early in the first canto as he scored and assisted Letran’s first 15 points while breaking the Generals’ zone defense.
There has always been speculation on how the Knights would fare in the competition once in full-form considering that they only have five key holdovers from season 100, making it an extra challenge to find chemistry among this young group. But to head coach Allen Ricardo’s delight, his key pieces ignited together in the first quarter as Cuajao and Jimboy Estrada showed glimpses of their scoring artillery, draining key three-pointers.
The second quarter displayed one of the best offensive stretches in this season for Letran, hovering at an 11-point gap at the 2:36 mark, 41-30. However, the Generals pestered the Knights on the defensive end, trimming down the gap to just five, 43-38.
It was in the third frame where the beautiful offense of both teams started to show, with back-to-back points coming from the bruiser Kevin Santos off the feeds of Aaron Buensalida. Wilmar Oftana did not back down as he waxed hot from downtown firing three-straight triples to earn a deadlock at 49-all.
Manalili reintroduced himself to retake the lead, 55-49, as he fired back a long-ranger and dimed a corner three to the 17 year-old Chad Gammad, who has been an efficient catch-and-shoot gunner for the Muralla-based squad
Cuajao also followed suit, scoring a triple at the buzzer to silence the raging offense of EAC, 61-63.
The opponent’s team captain, Nico Quinal, showed his undying leadership and heart as he drained key shots in the final quarter but ultimately fell short as Letran secured the victory. Quinal and Oftana spearheaded the Generals with 16 points apiece, while Kyle Ochavo and Jude Bagay churned 12 points, respectively.
The Letran Knights look to build momentum from this victory ahead of their matchup against the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Altas on Wednesday, October 15, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
QUARTERSCORES: 23-21, 43-38, 63-61, 84-80
CSJL (84) - Cuajao 23, Santos 15, Buensalida 12, Manalili 12, Estrada 8, Gammad 6, Omega 4, Rosilio 3, Tapenio 1, Gazzingan 0.
EAC (80) - Oftana 16, Quinal 16, Bagay 12, Ochavo 12, Castillo 7, Omandac 6, Lucero 4, Shanoda 4, Angeles 3, Bacud 0, Devara 0, Doria 0, Jacob 0, Loristo 0, Tolentino 0.