Letran ends 3-game skid with an 84-80 thriller over EAC; Perpetual stays perfect

Tempo Desk
3 Min Read
Titing Manalili, along with Deo Cuajao, produces spectacular performance to give Letran its firs twin in NCAA Season 101. (NCAA Images)

Letran ended an alarming 3-game skid with an 84-80 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College, 84-80, in the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Determined to turn their things around after dropping their first three games, the Knights played with a sense of urgency this time, coming though with clutch baskets each time the Generals threatened to change the complexion of the game.

Meantime, University of Perpetual Help stayed perfect in four games with a 72-67 win over Arellano University in the second game.

Three of Coach Olsen Racela scored in double digits with a combined 36 points with Mark Gojo Cruz leading them all with 13 apart from posting 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Patrick Sleat had 12 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals and  Josh Alcantara had 11 points.
Deo Cuaiao typified Letran’s great resolve to finish with 23 points while Kevin Santos added 15 in a performance that drew raves from the Letran community.

In a show of force, two other Letran players scored in double figures with Jonathan Manalili and Aaron Buensalida adding 12 points each with the former completing a double-double with 13 assists.

Nico Quinal and Wilmar Oftana scored 16 points each in the Generals’ loss as they slipped to a 1-2 record.

On why they needed four games to finally barge into the win column, Letran coach said: “Siyempre at the end of the day ‘yong cohesiveness at chemistry will take some time.”

“I’m hoping na little by little, magpeak na rin itong team natin,” he added. (Mark Rey Montejo)

The scores:

LETRAN 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, Loristo 0, Doria 0, Tolentino 0, Devara 0, Bacud 0, Jacob 0.

Quarters: 23-21, 43-38, 63-61, 84-80.

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